Key Facts
| Squad | Thurrock |
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| Position | Centre |
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| Age | 26 |
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| Height | 1.65m (5'5") |
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| Weight | 66kg (10st 5lb) |
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| Caps | 42 |
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A six-year-old early starter at Medway RFC, Rachael Burford comes from a rugby-loving family. Her mother Renata, father Michael, sister Louise and brother Reuben all played the game with her dad being her mentor along the way to multiple honours.
They feature England U19, Academy, Sevens, A team and Seniors, for whom she won her 40th cap against Wales at Twickenham on February 25 2012, and has scored six tries. They include a long range one in the 2010 WRWC match against Kazakhstan, and a conversion.
Her accolades include captaining England Sevens, being vice-captain at national 15-a-side level and leading England A. She had previously figured at county and regional levels and has since represented England Touch Rugby, most recently in 2011. Dubai is home from home for Rachael, who has played there six times for club and country.
It qualifies as her favourite ground and also the place where she relished one of her most memorable tournaments – the 2009 Sevens World Cup. Her high spots include sharing in England’s Sevens triumph over Australia in the 2012 Hong Kong final. She has also been to South Africa, Canada, France, Amsterdam, Prague, Rome, San Diego, Kinsale and China in late March this year for the third round of the IRB World Series. Rachael scored a try there against Fiji to take her overall Sevens points’ total to 173, comprising 23 tries and 29 conversions in eight appearances. Subsequently, she played in the fourth round of the series in Amsterdam.
She began her education at Lordswood Junior School and Thomas Aveling School, both in Kent. Her qualifications span a National Diploma in Sports Massage and she is a Level 1 coach and Level 2 fitness instructor. Rachael’s working roles have been as a part time personal trainer in the City of London and part time nanny in Twickenham but after the 2010 World Cup she took up an appointment as an RFU Community Rugby Coach for Kent. “I want to develop the women’s and girls’ game,” she continued. “Inside the sport, I want to be a world champion.”
Last updated: May 20, 2013
