When Rochelle Clark retired from worldwide rugby in 2018, she held the file for probably the most capped feminine worldwide participant of all time, with 137 exams and 112 wins.
Moreover, she was probably the most capped English participant, surpassing her hero Jason Leonard, who performed 114 exams. In 2015 Clark obtained an MBE, a 12 months after what she described because the “greatest day of my life,” when she helped the Red Roses win the Rugby World Cup in 2014.
In September 2025 she grew to become the a hundred and seventy fifth inductee into the World Rugby Corridor of Fame. The announcement was made by fellow inductee and longtime teammate Maggie Alphonsi in a heartfelt, emotional video shared on social media.
Shortly after receiving this prestigious accolade, England defeated Canada 33-13 in entrance of a world file crowd of 81,885 at Allianz Stadium to assert a 3rd Rugby World Cup title.
Clark’s England journey started in 2003 when she made her check debut, and though there have been few indicators of her eventual resilience, she recalled: “I performed ten minutes in my first cap towards Canada. I performed 50 minutes within the second check, and I assumed I’d be the primary feminine participant to die on a rugby area.
“I used to be purple at halftime. It glided by so quick. It felt like standing on a motorway with everybody driving at you. I used to be solely there due to an damage. I used to be a tough, spherical, uncooked teenager.
“That first tour was traumatic, nevertheless it impressed me to get match and lose some weight. On the peak of my profession, I had the health of a back-row participant. You’ll be able to see how a lot the sport has modified by crew images. The shapes across the edges have all however disappeared.”
That first tour additionally gifted Clark her well-known nickname, Rocky, as she obtained her cap within the Canadian Rockies. Born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, she was the youngest of three siblings from an unsporting household. Tragically, when Clark was 11, her father handed away all of the sudden and rugby grew to become her outlet for grief.
“I had lots of friendship teams, together with some who had been moving into hassle,” she mentioned. “Once I was 15, a pal requested me to return and play rugby. I initially refused on account of fears of getting injured, however they had been quick on numbers, and I felt sorry for them. I had an absolute blast studying the sport.
“There are nonetheless issues I’m affected by at present, however rugby was the proper reply for me. I discovered an escape and was capable of channel my frustrations into tackling. Rugby saved me on the straight and slim.”
By age 16, she was enjoying senior rugby for Henley alongside one other future England centurion in Tamara Taylor. Whereas finding out sports activities science and training at The School of St. Mark and St. John (now Plymouth Marjon College) she performed for Clifton. Blaydon was so impressed along with her expertise that they flew her to and from Heathrow to Newcastle for coaching and video games.
After a difficult begin with the England crew, Clark secured her place as a first-choice participant for the rest of 2004 and 2005.
France received the Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam in every of these seasons, however in 2006 the Purple Roses turned the tables as they defeated France 27-8 at that 12 months’s Rugby World Cup. England made the ultimate, narrowly shedding a thriller towards New Zealand, regardless of scoring a penalty strive from a scrum. France would stay a formidable foe.
“The French are as powerful as nails, but they’ll additionally play creatively,” Clark mentioned. “Generally we’d win by a degree or France would edge us out. The problem with France was that you just needed to give every little thing you had. I’d a lot want that have to a 50-point thrashing the place you simply watch the backs rating tries.
“We performed in small cities I by no means knew existed, locations with no pubs however the place promotion of the sport was evident with posters in store home windows. It was each great and intimidating to see such assist. We’d get booed and there could be horns blaring. One time, they even let cockerels run onto the sector.”
Clark performed in 4 exams towards France that had been determined by only a single level. In 2010, England received in Châteaurenard (inhabitants lower than 20,000) with a rating of 16-15 after “defending our line for 20 minutes”.
She celebrated her fiftieth check within the opening match of the 2010 Rugby World Cup, the place England defeated Ireland 27-0.
A 12 months earlier at Twickenham Stadium, England had triumphed over New Zealand 10-3 throughout a outstanding 23-game unbeaten streak, elevating hopes that it was England’s time to win the World Cup for the primary time since 1994. Nevertheless, they fell quick because the Black Ferns claimed victory within the last, 13-10, regardless of having three gamers yellow-carded.
“That was actually powerful. New Zealand performed an unbelievable sport, shutting down our threats and never permitting us to play,” she mentioned. “They rattled us. New Zealand’s physicality will not be as overt as France’s, however they’re extraordinarily expert. I additionally love the New Zealand rugby tradition – you see children tackling one another or kicking a rugby ball in parks. Rugby is at all times on TV and golf equipment care for you want household.”
Between 2011 and 2012, England managed to measure up towards the Black Ferns as they received 5 exams and drew one. New Zealand tightheads Mel Ngati (now Bosman), Moana Aiatu, Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox and Kathleen Wilton had been all outmuscled throughout this era.
No one would outmuscle England on the 2014 Rugby World Cup in France. After a stunning draw with Canada in pool play, England went on to dismantle Ireland within the semi-finals. Remarkably, Eire had beforehand eradicated New Zealand.
Within the last, Canada once more offered stiff resistance, however The Guardian reported: “England step by step broke down their opponents, edging ahead mechanically till the error from Canada arrived.”
“That was the very best day of my life,” Clark recalled. “Reduction was the primary emotion. I dropped to my knees and thought, ‘We’ve achieved it, we’ve bloody achieved it.’ The elation got here later.”
The crew, comprising plumbers, vets, academics, law enforcement officials, and college students – most of whom took three months of unpaid depart for the match – ultimately received the BBC Sports activities Staff of the Yr award. A few of the perks for Clark included attending the Windsor races, Wimbledon, Woman Gaga and Celine Dion concert events, and assembly Prince Harry.
The accolades continued in 2015. Clark was awarded an MBE and performed her a centesimal Take a look at towards France at Twickenham.
England misplaced that match 21-15, with Jessy Trémoulière, named Girls’s 15s Participant of the Decade by World Rugby through a worldwide public vote in 2021, delivering an impressive efficiency. Clark maintained that the loss didn’t detract from the event, and it introduced her in contact with a “hero”.
“Jason Leonard offered me with my cap,” she mentioned. “He was such a legend. I actually regarded as much as him. I beloved how good a scrummager he was. He was such a pleasant man, too.”
Clark matched Leonard as England’s most capped worldwide participant when she performed her 114th check towards Eire at College School Dublin, in 2016. Leonard celebrated her achievement with a magnum of champagne, which tasted even sweeter after an exhilarating 12-10 victory through which Clark scored certainly one of her 24 check tries.
Clark’s strive tally is double that of male world file holder Martin Castrogiovanni, who scored a dozen tries in 119 exams for Italy.
“I by no means cared a lot for scoring tries, however clearly it’s good to get them,” Clark mentioned. “If there’s a strive that stands out, it’s one the place I had gone over to bridge a participant with the ball.
“I went in with straight legs and no approach once I realised the ball was over the road, and all I needed to do was contact it. It was the ugliest strive in check rugby. I can’t even bear in mind who I scored it towards.”
A memorable second got here with a 29-21 win towards the Black Ferns in June 2017 in Rotorua. Clark described the efficiency as among the best by an English crew.
“The sport administration was excellent,” she beamed. “Everybody knew their job and caught to it. As common, it was a bodily sport, however New Zealand struggled to succeed in our degree that day. Katy Daley-McLean’s tactical kicking was a masterclass.”
Nevertheless, two months later, the Black Ferns produced their very own masterclass, profitable the Rugby World Cup last towards England 41-32 after trailing at halftime. Tighthead prop Toka Natua scored a hat-trick and Clark, who got here off the bench, described her as a “beast”.
The ultimate was a landmark event for girls’s rugby as each international locations went totally skilled shortly after the match. English coach Simon Middleton remarked on the time: “This crew has been excellent this 12 months; we’ve had a unbelievable 12 months with what we’ve achieved. We’ve come up quick tonight, that’s for positive. However we’ve performed everybody, and till tonight, we’ve been profitable. They’ve set an ordinary and moved the sport ahead. It was a unbelievable sport for the spectators to look at.”
Clark performed her 137th and last check in a 33-11 win towards Eire on 16 March 2018, in Coventry. She mirrored on what it took to be an important prop: “The hot button is having an attacking mindset within the scrum. You should be bodily and aggressive, prepared to tackle anybody and make your opposition as uncomfortable as legally potential.
“I beloved the confrontation. Excessive-collision carries had been my energy. I used to be by no means going to present you a 40-metre burst, however I might present a fast platform, choose and go strongly, and put some massive hits in defence.”
Retirement from worldwide rugby was difficult for Clark.
“I skilled a little bit of a disaster of id after I retired,” she mentioned. “The whole lot I had recognized was all of the sudden gone. Retiring is difficult, and other people typically don’t focus on it. Rugby was one thing I had lived and breathed for 20 years, so stepping away from it was tough to deal with.”
After worldwide retirement the private coach continued to play domestically. In 2022, she served because the player-coach of Saracens, and helped them to an Allianz Premier 15s (now Premiership Women’s Rugby) win with a powerful 18-2 file. Within the last, Saracens defeated Exeter 43-21. She beforehand received a English home title with Worcester (Valkyries) in 2012/13.
She stays totally concerned in rugby as a participant/coach to the Buckingham Swans and works as a sports activities coach at Bedford Trendy College and as an occasional commentator. Sarah Hunter, who handed Clark’s Take a look at tally on the 2021 Rugby World Cup (performed in 2022) and is now Purple Roses defence coach, paid tribute.
“Rocky introduced the women collectively. She was a pacesetter on and off the sector. She influenced a era of Purple Roses and was a drive of nature within the scrums.”
