King's Birthday Honours: Two former England Rugby captains honoured

This year's honours list marks the first official birthday celebration in June, distinct from the monarch's actual birthday in November.

In addition to notable personalities, the list pays tribute to individuals involved in post-Queen's passing initiatives from the previous year, as well as those who have rendered assistance to Ukrainian refugees.

There are 1,171 people on this year's list - split almost evenly between 585 men and 586 women. 

According to the Cabinet Office - which oversees the honours system - 52% are people who recognised for work in their communities, and 11% come from an ethnic minority background.

England’s most capped player with 141 Test appearances has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list for services to rugby union. She has been awarded a CBE.

An MBE for Services to Rugby and becoming the 2016 World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year have duly rewarded Hunter for her skill, dedication, determination and persistence to become the most-capped England player of all time.

Sarah started out playing rugby league as a nine-year-old at Goathland Primary School. She was born in North Shields and moved to Loughborough Lightning to take up at player-coach role. Sarah led from the front as England won the Grand Slam in the 2017 Six Nations and reached the 2017 World Cup final.

She led the team in the 2019 Six Nations, securing a Grand Slam. She crossed twice in the 2020 Six Nations but missed the 2020 autumns through injury. Sarah returned to lead England to the 2021 Six Nations title, and then again in the 2021 autumn matches and the 2022 Six Nations.

The number 8 captained the squad that made the final of the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup and was named Co-captain of Simon Middleton’s squad for the 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations.

She announced that she would be retiring from rugby following the team’s opening fixture against Scotland at Kingston Park.

Cox, a pioneer in the world of rugby, has been honored with an MBE as the first-ever female professional rugby union referee.

Hailing from Exeter, this 33-year-old made history in 2021 by becoming the first woman to officiate a men's Premiership Rugby match. Her remarkable journey began in 2018 when she broke barriers as the first female referee to oversee a men's top-tier game in England during a Premiership Rugby Cup match.

Having officiated at the last two Olympic Games and three Women's World Cups, Cox's exceptional contributions to the sport have earned her a place in the King's Birthday Honours list, where she was recognized for her invaluable services to the game.

"I'm really proud, there's a lot of years and a lot of hard work and tears that have gone into it," said Cox, who turned professional as a referee in 2016 after injury cut short her playing career.

"There's been a lot of times that I have stood there and said 'I'm not sure that this is the pathway I want to take any more', but I've stuck with it, I've brought myself out of that and really been determined to keep going with it and keep achieving stuff.

"To get an MBE really nicely encompasses all the hard work that I've gone through and some of the sacrifices that I've had to make as well."

The England captain who scored the try that won the Wheelchair World Cup has received an OBE in the King’s Birthday List.

But Leeds star Halliwell admitted there were suspicions when the official letter dropped through his door.

He said: “I was out coaching when it arrived, so all my family saw it and they were like, ‘What have you been doing Tom? Are you in trouble? What’s this?’

"It was in the back of my mind all day and when I got home I opened it. I was in complete shock.

“I had no idea that something like that could happen to me. I’m just a lad from Leeds.

“This is the cherry on top of the cake. We did all we wanted to do – we won the World Cup and created a new platform for wheelchair rugby league.”