Alex Matthews

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Alexandra Matthews

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Alexandra George Matthews

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1993|8|3}}

| birth_place = Camberley, Surrey, England

| height = 1.73 m

| weight = 180 lb

| position = Loose forward

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 =

| apps1 =

| points1 =

| repyears1 = 2011–present

| repteam1 = {{nwrut|England}}

| repteam2 = England U20

| repcaps1 = 72

| repcaps2 = 7

| reppoints1 = 85

| repsevensyears1 =

| repsevensteam1 = {{nwrut7|England}}

| repsevenscomp1 =

| medals = {{MedalSport|Women's rugby sevens}}

{{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}}

}}

Alexandra George Matthews (born 3 August 1993) is an English rugby union player. She made her debut for England in 2011 and was a member of the winning 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup squad.

International career

Matthews first played for England in 2011. In 2014 she was one of the youngest members of the England 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup squad, having played in the final versus Canada. Matthews had returned from a hip operation just two weeks pre-selection for the tournament to win a place on the team.{{Cite web|title=RFU|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/england/sevens-women/squad/alex-matthews|access-date=2021-05-11|website=www.englandrugby.com}}

She played for the England 7s team, going semi-professional in 2013 and full-time in 2014 while completing her degree. In 2014 she was part of the training squad for the 2016 Olympic Games but was forced to leave three months before the Games due to illness and injury.

In 2017 she returned to England 15s as part of the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup squad, playing in every game. England finished second in the tournament. Matthews was named Player of the Match for the side's game against the USA.{{Cite web|last=London|first=Voice of|date=2020-12-04|title=Exclusive: England sevens star Alex Matthews on Tokyo 2020, didi Rugby|url=http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/interview-with-england-rugby-sevens-star-alex-matthews/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=Voice of London|language=en-US}}

She switched back to 7s again in 2018 to take Bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and is currently on a hybrid contract between England's senior team and the Great Britain women's rugby 7s team that was meant to play at the 2020 Olympics, postponed due to COVID-19.

Matthews was named RPA Women's Sevens Player of the Year in 2018.{{Cite web|last=London|first=Voice of|date=2020-12-04|title=Exclusive: England sevens star Alex Matthews on Tokyo 2020, didi Rugby|url=http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/interview-with-england-rugby-sevens-star-alex-matthews/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=Voice of London|language=en-US}}

She played for England in the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship, which the side won.{{Cite news|title=Matthews 'lost' after forced switch to XVs|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54735159|access-date=2021-05-11}} She was named in the England squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in October and November 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62958278|title= Rugby World Cup: Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling in England squad|work= BBC Sport}}

She was called into the Red Roses side for the 2025 Six Nations Championship on 17 March.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2025 |title=Red Roses squad for Six Nations announced |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/follow/news-media/red-roses-squad-six-nations-announced |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=England Rugby}}{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Martyn |date=17 March 2025 |title=John Mitchell names 4 uncapped players in England's Six Nations squad |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/england-womens-six-nations-squad/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |website=RugbyPass}}

Club career

Matthews joined Worcester Warriors in 2020 after the funding for the Women's 7s GB team was cut earlier that year.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-09|title=Two more Warriors added to Worcester's side|url=https://www.newschainonline.com/news/worcester-warriors-sign-england-sevens-stars-heather-fisher-and-alex-matthews-31129|access-date=2021-05-11|website=www.newschainonline.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Worcester Warriors {{!}} FISHER AND MATTHEWS SIGN FOR WARRIORS WOMEN|url=https://warriors.co.uk/2020/09/09/fisher-and-matthews-sign-for-warriors-women/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=warriors.co.uk|language=en-GB}}

She previously played for Richmond alongside her older sister, Fran Matthews. In 2014, Matthews won the Premiership and Cup with Richmond.{{Cite web|date=2015-02-26|title=Rugby World Cup winner Alex Matthews targeting Olympic gold as part of Richmond sister act {{!}} SWLondoner|url=https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/sport/26022015-rugby-world-cup-winner-alex-matthews-targeting-olympic-gold-part-richmond-sister-act/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=South West Londoner|language=en-GB}}

Early life and education

She started playing rugby aged three at Camberley RFC, where she played minis rugby until she had to stop playing with the boys' U12 team, although she continued to train with the boys' team for a further two years.{{Cite web|last=London|first=Voice of|date=2020-12-04|title=Exclusive: England sevens star Alex Matthews on Tokyo 2020, didi Rugby|url=http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/interview-with-england-rugby-sevens-star-alex-matthews/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=Voice of London|language=en-US}} Her sister Fran Matthews also plays both sevens and fifteens rugby for England.

Matthews attended Kings International College secondary school and Hartpury College before completing a degree in Sports Psychology at Roehampton University alongside her rugby commitments. She worked as a part-time carer between 2012 and 2015.[https://www.englandrugby.com/england/sevens-women/squad/alex-matthews]

During the 2020 pandemic lockdown she spent time travelling the UK in her campervan.

References

External links

[https://www.englandrugby.com/follow/red-roses/england-women/alex-matthews Alex Matthews] at England Rugby ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140826114812/https://www.rfu.com/squadsandplayers/womensrugby/alexandramatthews archive])
[https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/teams/women/player/alex-matthews Alex Matthews] at Gloucester-Hartpury
{{World Rugby Sevens Series player|womens/44763}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Team GB|7zSazd3RMjTOdD5fX3YaUr}}
{{Team England|alexandra-matthews}}
{{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|rugby-sevens/athlete-profile-n6030018-alex-matthews}}
{{Instagram}}