Great Britain sprint star Amy Hunt attended England’s rugby training facility to observe a practice session and interact with the squad before their Nations Championship match against Australia on Sunday.
At 24 years old, Hunt achieved prominence by securing four gold medals at the European Championships in Birmingham last summer. Her visit represents the latest in a series of visits from accomplished athletes across different sports who have engaged with Steve Borthwick’s England rugby team. The sessions aim to provide the squad with perspectives from high-level performers in other athletic disciplines.
Back row player Ben Earl characterized the visit positively, noting Hunt’s enthusiasm and highlighting her accomplishment of earning a Cambridge degree while competing at elite levels. Defence coach Richard Wigglesworth remarked that such interactions with successful individuals who excel in competitive fields contribute positive energy to the team’s environment. He expressed expectations that Hunt’s presence would foster meaningful connections within the squad.
Other prominent sporting figures have made similar visits to the team’s training base in recent periods. These have included tennis player Emma Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open and attended before a match against New Zealand, as well as England football manager Thomas Tuchel and skeleton racer Matt Weston during the Six Nations campaign. The programme also welcomed coaching staff from rugby league, including assistants from Leeds Rhinos who previously engaged with Borthwick’s team.
On Wednesday, staff from the UK Armed Forces rugby team also met with England’s coaching and playing personnel. Borthwick and assistant coach Joe El-Abd are scheduled to conduct a training session for the UK Armed Forces at Sandhurst on Thursday. The UK Armed Forces team will compete against Belgium in a Remembrance Day fixture on November 11 at Gloucester’s Kingsholm ground. England’s international schedule continues with matches against Japan and New Zealand, plus an undetermined play-off opponent across successive weekends in November.
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