Jade Shekells
{{Short description|English rugby union and sevens player}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
|image=Jade Shekells during Dubai 7's in 2022.jpg
|image_size=180px
|caption=Shekells during 2022 Dubai 7's
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1996|9|28|df=y}}
|birth_place= Worcester, England
|height_cm=167
|weight_kg=74
|ru_position= Outside Centre
|reppoints1=
|repcaps1=
|repteam1= England
|repyears1= 2025-
|repsevensteam1= {{ruw7|England}}
|repsevensyears1= 2022–2023
|repsevensyears2 = 2023–
| repsevensteam2 = {{ruw7|Great Britain}}
|years1=
|clubs1= Worcester Warriors
|apps1=
|points1=0
|years2=2024–
|clubs2=Gloucester–Hartpury
|apps2=
|points2=0
| medals=
{{Medal|Sport|Women's rugby sevens}}
{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|European Games}}
{{Medal|Gold|2023 Kraków–Małopolska|{{nowrap|Team competition}}}}
}}
Jade Shekells (born 28 September 1996) is an English rugby union player who plays for Gloucester–Hartpury, England women and the Great Britain women's national rugby sevens team, having also played for England sevens and Worcester Warriors.{{Cite web | title=Jade Shekells {{!}} Team England {{!}} Birmingham 2022 | url=https://teamengland.org/team-england-athletes/jade-shekells | access-date=2025-01-03 | website=teamengland.org}}
Career
Shekells attended Hartpury College before going to Cardiff Met University, where she was called up to the England U20s.{{cite web |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/sport/14036489.jade-shekells-who-played-rugby-for-worcester-keen-to-reach-top-in-womens-game/ |title=Jade Shekells, who played rugby for Worcester, keen to reach top in women's game |date=17 November 2015}} After returning to her midlands base, Shekells was the Worcester Warriors player of the season for 2020-21.{{Cite web|url=https://warriors.co.uk/2021/05/09/jade-shekells-named-players-player-of-the-season/|title=Worcester Warriors | Jade Shekells named Players' Player of the Season|website=warriors.co.uk}}
She was called up by England sevens in the spring of 2022, ahead of the Rugby Europe Series in Budapest.{{Cite web|url=https://warriors.co.uk/2022/06/16/shekells-gets-england-sevens-call/|title=Worcester Warriors | Shekells gets England Sevens call|website=warriors.co.uk}} She was selected to play for England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/b60e6e31-e1cd-4d88-a268-4b6e76fb6593/news/article/team-england-sevens-squads-announced-for-commonwealth-games |title=RFU |access-date=30 July 2022 |archive-date=20 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720165638/https://www.englandrugby.com/b60e6e31-e1cd-4d88-a268-4b6e76fb6593/news/article/team-england-sevens-squads-announced-for-commonwealth-games |url-status=dead }} She was also named in England's squad for the Rugby World Cup Sevens that was held in Cape Town, South Africa in September 2022.{{Cite web |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/england-squads-for-rugby-world-cup-sevens-named |title=ENGLAND SQUADS FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS NAMED |website=Englandrugby.com |access-date=12 September 2022 |archive-date=26 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926010916/https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/england-squads-for-rugby-world-cup-sevens-named |url-status=dead }}
Shekells was also selected as a member of the Great Britain sevens squad for the 2023 European Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.teamgb.com/article/european-games-rugby-sevens-stars-zero-in-on-paris-2024-prize/2bW3t3jJXDZRbd2ahJmBKt |title=European Games: Rugby sevens stars zero in on Paris 2024 prize |website=Team GB |date=7 June 2023 |accessdate=28 June 2023}} Great Britain won a gold medal at the event and sealed qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/66036474.amp |website=BBC Sport |title=European Games 2023: 'Huge relief' as GB women's sevens team win gold to land Olympics spot |date=27 June 2023 |accessdate=28 June 2023}} In June 2024, she was named in the British squad for the Olympic Games{{cite web |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-06-19/welsh-speedster-jasmine-joyce-makes-history-with-team-gb-paris-olympics-call-up |website=ITV.com |accessdate=19 June 2024 |title=Welsh speedster Jasmine Joyce makes history with Team GB Paris Olympics call-up |date=19 June 2024 |first=Matt |last=Southcombe}} where the team finished seventh.{{cite web |url=https://www.teamgb.com/article/around-the-games-day-four-of-paris-2024/6SnJMqyvHVpdsrOvL0o3D4 |title=Around the Games: Day Four of Paris 2024 |publisher=Team GB |accessdate=31 July 2024}} She was selected for the Great Britain national rugby sevens team for the 2024-25 SVNS series which began at the Dubai Sevens on 30 November 2024.{{cite web|url= https://gbrugbysevens.com/gb7s-2024-25-squad-announcement/|website=gbrugbysevens.com|accessdate=15 April 2025|title=GB 7s 2024-25 squad announcement}}
She joined Gloucester–Hartpury ahead of the 2024–2025 PWR season.{{Cite web |title=Gloucester-Hartpury sign GB Sevens star Jade Shekells |url=https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/content/gloucester-hartpury-sign-gb-sevens-star-jade-shekells |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk |language=en}} In March 2025, she was called into the senior 15-a-side England team for the first time, ahead of the Women's Six Nations Championship.{{cite web|first=Sara|last=Orchard|date=3 March 2025|title=Bristol wing David among England camp call-ups|url= https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cm2j6r8rl33o.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 March 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Orchard |first=Sara |date=2025-03-17 |title=Women's Six Nations: Jade Shekells makes England squad |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c23493lg59xo |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} She was named on the bench for their opening tie in the Six Nations against Italy, making her debut in a 38-5 victory.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cd65eq426g6o|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=16 April 2025|title= Shekells on England bench for Six Nations opener|date=20 March 2025}}{{cite web|url= https://www.yorkvision.co.uk/sport/red-roses-splutter-in-second-half-in-an-otherwise-dominant-win-over-italy-in-york/25/03/2025|website=yorkvisiom|accessdate=16 April 2025|title= Red Roses Splutter in Second Half in an Otherwise Dominant Win Over Italy in York|first=Jacob|last=Bassford|date=25 March 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Team GB|jade-shekells/33earoHnYPc6sRm5dQlOON}}
- {{Team England|jade-shekells}}
- {{Olympics.com|jade-shekells}}
- [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/jade-shekells_1948884 Jade Shekells] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
- {{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|57634}}
- {{Instagram}}
{{Great Britain women's sevens 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shekells, Jade}}
Category:England international women's rugby sevens players
Category:English female rugby union players
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2023 European Games
Category:European Games medalists in rugby sevens
Category:European Games gold medalists for Great Britain
Category:Great Britain women's international rugby sevens players
Category:Rugby union players from Worcester
Category:Black British sportswomen
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for England
Category:Alumni of Hartpury College
Category:Alumni of Cardiff Metropolitan University
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic rugby sevens players for Great Britain