Vickii Cornborough
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Bio
Vickii Cornborough was a loosehead prop for Harlequins Women and the England women's national team. She made her first appearance for England in 2015 and signed her full-time contract in 2019.
Born in Portsmouth on 3 March 1990, Cornborough learnt how to play rugby alongside her siblings at Portsmouth RFC. From here, she trained at a variety of clubs—including Havant, Solent Sirens and Petersfield—before completing a degree in psychology at the University of Reading.
Cornborough's club career began in 2008 when she joined Richmond FC. She stayed with the club until 2016 before spending one year at Aylesford Bulls. She subsequently transferred to Harlequins in 2017.
On the international stage, Cornborough's England career started with the U19s team. She then progressed to the U20s and won the Nations Cup in 2009. Fast forward to 2015, when Cornborough made her debut with the senior England squad. She played nine of the team's 10 tests during her first year.
Cornborough quickly established her name in English rugby and played every match during the 2017 Rugby World Cup. Her consistency continued in 2018, when she appeared in every Six Nations match and won three Quilter Internationals.
One year later, in 2019, she signed her full-time contract and won the Grand Slam. A player who became a stalwart in the England line-up, Cornborough earned her 50th cap during the 2020 Six Nations.
Next, Cornborough was selected for the 2021 Rugby World Cup squad. She represented England throughout the tournament and played in the tense final against New Zealand.
Off the pitch, Cornborough uses her voice to support her teammates and promote women's rugby. In fact, she was elected to the Rugby Players Association (RPA) in 2017 and she became the first female vice-chair.
After a groundbreaking career, Cornborough announced her retirement from international rugby in April 2024. Her legacy includes 75 caps, two Rugby World Cup finals and her pioneering work with the RPA.
With a strong track record and a huge number of caps under her belt, it’s hard to overstate how much Vickii Cornborough has impacted the sport.