Amber Reed

Amber Reed (born 3 April 1991) is an English rugby union player. She won the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup as a member of England's squad[1] and was selected for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup squad.[2][3] She currently also plays for Bristol Bears.[4]

Amber Reed
Date of birth (1991-04-03) 3 April 1991
Place of birthBristol, England
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight85 kg (187 lb)
Notable relative(s)Andy Reed (uncle)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Bristol Ladies ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–present  England 58 (126)

International career
Scoring: England v Scotland (RBS 6 Nations) in 2013

Reed debuted for the England Women's rugby team in 2012 against France, having previously played for the national side's Under 20s team.[5]

In 2014, she won the Women's Rugby World Cup with England. Reed went on to play every match in the 2017 Six Nations, in which England won the Grand Slam. She was also selected for the England World Cup team in 2017; the side lost in the final to New Zealand.[6]

A recurring back injury that kept her off the pitch for several months in 2018 and resulted in a specialist advising her to retire from contact sports.[7] However, after her recovery and rehabilitation, Reed's international career continued at the 2018 Women's Six Nations. In 2019, Reed won her 50th cap playing in the Super Series in the USA and received the award from her mother.[8] The same year, she was offered a full-time contract by the RFU, having previously juggled her rugby career with a teaching career.[9] She also played in the first England Women versus the Barbarians match at Twickenham in 2019, which England won.[10]

She again played for England in the curtailed 2020 Women's Six Nations.[11]

Club career

Reed began playing rugby at 14 when she attended Colston's School. While competing in the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, she was selected for the England pathway development track.

She played briefly for Thornbury RFC before joining the Bristol Bears women's team in 2009, where she continues to play.

Activism

In 2021, Reed became an active member of the #icare social media campaign started by Bristol Bears teammate Stef Evans after Twitter users expressed derision and posted abusive tweets about the news that the 2021 Women's World Cup had been rescheduled.[12]

She has spoken publicly about mental health in sports and is a spokesperson for 'Looseheadz’, a rugby clothing brand raising awareness for mental health.[13]

Early life

Reed is the niece of former Scottish International Andy Reed.[14]

As a youth, she played cricket for Gloucestershire and hockey for Bristol.[15] She attended Colston's School and went on to attain a degree in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Exeter.[16] She was named British University Colleges Sports Person of the Year in 2013.[17]

As well as a professional rugby player, Reed is a qualified PE teacher and has taught at Colston's School and Bloxham School.

References
  1. Alison Donnelly (Scrum Queens) (July 2014). "England name WC squad". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  2. "England announce squad for 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup". RFU. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  3. Mockford, Sarah (29 June 2017). "England name their squad for their Women's Rugby World Cup defence". Rugby World. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  4. "Amber Reed". Bristol Bears. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  5. BBC Sport (30 October 2012). "Amber Reed set for England Women debut against France". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  6. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  7. "Amber Reed Bouncing Back". The RPA. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  8. "Amber Reed Bouncing Back". The RPA. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  9. January 2021, Chris Heal Thursday 21. "Exclusive: Amber Reed - We're going to stand up for what we believe in to inspire the next generation". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  10. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  11. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  12. Evans, Haydn (4 March 2021). "Amber Reed: Bristol Bears captain and England international explains why she is helping to tackle challenges of online abuse and mental health". ExpoSport. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  13. Evans, Haydn (4 March 2021). "Amber Reed: Bristol Bears captain and England international explains why she is helping to tackle challenges of online abuse and mental health". ExpoSport. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  14. Beatrice Asprey (Rugby World) (30 June 2013). "Hotshot: Amber Reed (Bristol)". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  15. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  16. University of Exeter (30 July 2014). "Amber Reed heads to Women's Rugby World Cup". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  17. "England women's Rugby World Cup squad". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 April 2021.


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