Siwan Lillicrap

Siwan Lillicrap (born 27 September 1987) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a lock or number 8 for Gloucester-Hartpury and the Wales national team. Lillicrap made her debut for Wales in 2016, and captained the team at the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Women's Six Nations Championship.

Siwan Lillicrap
Date of birth (1987-09-27) 27 September 1987
Place of birthSwansea, South Wales
Height1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight84.09 kg (13 st 3.4 lb)
SchoolYsgol Gyfun Gwyr
UniversitySwansea University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team Gloucester-Hartpury
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Waunarlwydd RFC ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)


2020–2022
2022–present		 Neath RFC
Swansea RFC
Bristol Bears
Gloucester-Hartpury		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2022 Wales 43
Correct as of 28 April 2021

Lillicrap is one of the first professional women's rugby players in Wales. It was announced that Lillicrap would leave her role as Head of Rugby at Swansea University in order to become a full-time professional women's rugby player in January 2022.[1]

Club career

Lillicrap's interest in rugby was piqued at a young age, when she would spend her childhood weekends at Waunarlwydd RFC, watching her father coach and brother play. With no girls' team at the club or in her local area, Lillicrap had to wait until she was 17 to join the women's side.[2]

She played for Waunarlwydd while at university and in 2011 moved to Neath RFC. For some years after, Lillicrap played at Swansea RFC and for Ospreys Women. In 2020 Lillicrap moved to the English top flight competition, the Premier 15s with Bristol Bears.[3] In June 2022, Lillicrap moved to Gloucester-Hartpury.[4]

International career

After spending almost five years in the extended Wales squad, Lillicrap earned her first cap for Wales at the 2016 Women's Six Nations Championship, making her international debut against Ireland as a second-half replacement for Rebecca Rowe. Her performance meant she was then named in the starting XV for the match against Scotland a week later at The Gnoll.[5]

Lillicrap was made Wales skipper in autumn 2019, where she captained Wales to test wins over Ireland and Scotland ahead of the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship.[6] She captained the team again during the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.

Lillicrap was selected to captain Wales at the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[7] On 30 November 2022, Lillicrap announced her retirement from international rugby. [8]

Personal life

Lillicrap attended Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr, a Welsh language secondary school in Gowerton, Swansea, and studied sports science at Swansea University, graduating in 2009.

Before becoming a professional rugby player, Lillicrap was Head of Rugby at Swansea University since 2017, overseeing more than 300 players in both the men's and women's programmes from participation level up to high performance.[2] Previously, she was the university's Sport Development Officer – a role she previously held at Cardiff University.[6] Lillicrap is in a relationship with fellow Wales rugby union player Cara Hope.

References
  1. Hayden, Jessica. "Welsh Rugby Union reveals first dozen women to be given professional contracts". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  2. Sands, Katie (31 January 2020). "The Wales rugby captain who was rejected for five years". WalesOnline. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  3. "Get to know Wales Women's captain Siwan Lillicrap". Rugby World. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. "Gloucester-Hartpury welcomes Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap". Glucester Rugby. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  5. "Siwan Lillicrap". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. "My Rugby Life: Siwan Lillicrap". Six Nations Rugby. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  7. "Rugby World Cup: Siwan Lillicrap to lead Wales women in New Zealand". BBC Sport. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  8. "Siwan Lillicrap: Wales captain ends international career". BBC Sport. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
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