Sports
Mary Coleman Earns First England Cap After Rapid Rugby League Rise
Mary Coleman, a Wigan prop from Kent who works for the Home Office, earned her first England cap after a rapid rise in rugby league, having only taken up the sport in her early 20s. Coleman, 28, holds a first-class degree in psychological and behavioural sciences from Cambridge University and had not heard of Wigan or rugby league until she moved north for work.
She began playing rugby union at 16 after a breakup, continued at Cambridge, and switched to league in Preston when a coach suggested Wigan. Within four years she was playing for England, debuting after Wigan's treble-winning season last year. Coleman acknowledged tough early seasons, including heavy losses in 2022 and 2023, but credited the sport's youth for her quick progression.
She noted that younger players like teammate Jenna Foubister have played since childhood, making her path less likely now. Wigan retained the Challenge Cup this year and top the Super League. I didn’t grow up in a rugby household, she said.
Source: Guardian Sport
