Coaching Laid Bare Episode 11 with Maggie Alphonsi

Liza Bird Burgess and LJ Adams catch up with former England international flanker Maggie Alphonsi MBE.

Maggie, who is now a regular TV pundit and writes in The Daily Telegraph, was one of the world’s best players, with 74 caps for England and 28 tries. She helped England win a World Cup and seven consecutive Six Nations crowns.

In the pod, Bird and LJ ask Maggie (who Bird used to teach!) the following questions:

• What did you want to be growing up?
• You played a lot of different sports when you were growing up in school, what was it that attracted you to rugby and what kept you playing it?
• When you look back at your rugby playing career, is there any particular advice you would have given to your younger self and to young players now aspiring to be international players?
• What is your favourite rugby memory?
• Talk us through your transition from a player to media professional; what support did you have? Were there any barriers and what advice would you give anyone wanting to pursue a role such as this?
• What other aspirations do you have?
• Where do you see women’s rugby going in the next five years?
• What is the hardest lesson/ biggest disappointment when playing rugby and how did you overcome this?