Alphonsi & Moyse added to Hall of Fame

The women’s rugby duo are among 12 new inductees and they bring the number of women in the Hall of Fame to eight out of 132.

Nathalie Amiel (France), Gill Burns (England), Patty Jervey (USA), Carol Isherwood (England), Anna Richards pictured (New Zealand) and Farah Palmer (New Zealand) were all inducted in 2014 and Scrumqueens has long campaigned for more women to be included.The full list of new inductees (with induction number and country) is: Brian O'Driscoll (121, Ireland), Shane Williams (122, Wales), Jeremy Guscott (123, England), Lawrence Dallaglio (124, England), Heather Moyse (125, Canada), John Dawes (126, Wales), GPS Macpherson (127, Scotland), Arthur Gould (128, Wales), Jonny Wilkinson (129, England), Daniel Carroll (130, Australia and USA), Daisuke Ohata(131, Japan) and Maggie Alphonsi (132, England).Alphonsi’s inclusion is no surprise and World Rugby describe her as the 'First Lady' of English women's rugby.

She was a key member of the England side that dominated the Six Nations with seven straight titles – six of them grand slams – between 2006 and 2012 and won Women's Rugby World Cup 2014. In 2011, she became the first female recipient of the Rugby Writers' prestigious Pat Marshall Award. Having scored 28 tries in 74 games for England and led her club Saracens to a league and cup double, Alphonsi finally hung up her boots in 2015. She then embarked on a successful career in the media as a TV pundit and was an ambassador for Rugby World Cup 2015. A year later, she was elected to the RFU Council and continues to be an inspiration to the next generation of female players.Moyse’s inclusion is more left field, however the multi talented athlete made a major mark in her 22 caps for Canada.

She has represented her country at rugby, cycling and bobsleigh -winning two gold medals in the two-woman bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014. A devastating finisher, the winger-cum-full-back made 22 international appearances for Canada in 15s and starred in two Women's Rugby World Cups (2006 and 2010), scoring a tournament best seven tries in each (equal with New Zealand's Carla Hohepa in 2010).

After breaking her right ankle in Canada's final game at WRWC 2010, Moyse took up cycling as part of her rehabilitation and was selected to compete for the national team at the Pan-American Track Cycling Championships in 2012. Despite not having played rugby since WRWC 2010 and undergoing surgery to her hip, Moyse then returned to her first sporting love and helped Canada to second place at Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013.