England Captain!

Former Cockburn School student, Grace Short, is celebrating captaining England against France in France!

Grace graduated from Cockburn School in 2022. Having represented the school for girls rugby league, she currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos under-19 side who have won 7 of their last 8 games in 2024.

Her journey to playing in France and representing her country began in 2022 when she was selected for the Yorkshire talent hubs. From there, she was chosen to be part of the DISE England program (Diploma in Sporting Excellence), where her and her team mates trained for two years in preparation for the match against France.

Grace said “Playing in an international game has always been a childhood dream of mine, and the experience was truly surreal. Leading the team as a captain in France and scoring two tries during the game was incredibly exciting. Even though we didn't come out on top against a strong Catalan women's side, the experience and opportunity was amazing.”

She added, “This is an unforgettable experience, shared with an amazing group of women from all over England, and it will stay with me forever. I'm grateful and happy to have lived this moment with such fantastic people. Cockburn School taught me to be resilient and aspirational and I have carried these strong and important values into my adult life and career.”

The head coach of the academy scouted her from the Cockburn School team and saw her talent back then. She excelled in the Cockburn School rugby team during her time there.

Mr Dixon, Head of School said “We are extremely proud of Grace’s latest sporting achievement. She is a role model to the students at the school now and I hope that she inspires many of them to believe that they can achieve their dreams.”

Grace has donated her signed match shirt from the England game to the school which will now be framed and displayed.