Amy Cokayne

A skillful hooker, Amy Cokayne currently plays for Leicester Tigers Women and the England national rugby team. She could have been a successful player in New Zealand—she was selected for the Black Ferns training camp—but she moved back to the UK in 2013. Two years later, Cokayne debuted for the Red Roses.

Born in Ipswich, Suffolk on 11 July 1996, Cokayne began playing sports at the age of six. She joined Cleve Rugby Club and she was also the under 10s goalkeeper at Aston Villa.

A few years later, her father joined the RAF and the family emigrated to New Zealand. While living here, Cokayne became known as a talented rugby player. Her achievements included captaining the girls' team at Feilding High School—a team she led to 53 consecutive wins.

Following her move back to the UK, Cokayne attended Loughborough College. She completed a degree in sports science but remained dedicated to rugby during her studies. As a result, she was signed to Lichfield Ladies and made the England U20 team in 2014. One year later, she played her first match for the senior England team.

In 2017, Cokayne became a household name. She made the England squad for the Rugby World Cup and represented the team in every match. In the same year, she took the next step in her club career and transferred to Wasps. 

After finishing her degree, Cokayne joined the RAF. She graduated as a pilot officer in 2018 and continued her studies in 2019. This led to her missing several matches, including the 2019 Super Rugby Series. However, her love of rugby prevailed and she subsequently transferred to Harlequins.

In the same year, Cokayne signed a full-time contract with England. Two years later, she made the squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup. Here she scored a phenomenal hat-trick during England’s final against New Zealand. 

Since then, Cokayne has moved to Leicester Tigers. She signed with the Premiership side ahead of the 2023/24 season.

With her pace and passion, we can't wait to see what else Flight Lieutenant Amy Cokayne can achieve.