Remembering those who came before England rugby star and RAF officer

Red Rose hooker Amy Cokayne is one of a long line of capped players who have combined sport with service

Amy Cokayne was player of the match against New Zealand (Getty Images)

Amy Cokayne was “shocked” when she heard about the early days of women’s rugby.

The world no.1 Red Roses had gathered for a visit by some of the game’s pioneers and were captivated by “unreal” tales of international players ringing each other up to start a women’s World Cup when the IRB, now World Rugby, expressed no interest. Teams, they said, had to pick each other up from the airport.

Last month, the trophy from those first World Cups, lost for over two decades, was discovered in an administrator’s attic.