Red Roses talent Sophie Hopkins on life in France and learning from World Cup winning teammates

Hopkins is one of 11 uncapped players named in a 47-strong Red Roses training squad ahead of the Six Nations, an achievement that still feels surreal. Having previously been involved around the senior setup during the World Cup as a development player, this time the invitation carries a different weight.

“I got to go into the World Cup squad as a bolster player, so it's been really exciting to come in on my own merit and have a chance to pick the brains of the number one team in the world.”

Even now, she admits she is still adjusting to the company she keeps, describing herself as ‘fangirling’ over the players around her.

“I think it'll take a while for that feeling to go down. But I think it's a good feeling, to be excited to be around the people that you're training with.”

That sense of awe sits alongside a growing belief in her own game, developed through an unusual pathway that combines elite sport with academic ambition. Hopkins studies Biochemistry and French at the University of Manchester and, as part of her degree, is currently on a placement year in Lyon. By day, she works a 9–5 job in a laboratory. Outside of that, she is testing herself in France’s top domestic league, Élite 1, with LOU Rugby.

“It’s been incredible so far, I've had so much fun out there playing in France with a whole new style of rugby, a whole different viewpoint on the game and it's really broadened my horizons moving to another country and experiencing life on the other side of the channel. Being in Lyon has been incredible and has given me a lot of freedom and independence and I'm really grateful for the experience.”

That independence is a long way from her introduction to the sport. Hopkins only started playing rugby at 14, encouraged by her PE teacher Helen Harding, who represented England at the 1994 World Cup. Before that, she had been a footballer, playing left-back, but it was the physical side of rugby that drew her in.

“I really think it was the physicality, which is something that I still really enjoy today and wasn't the same as football. I just liked how beautiful the game was, it was so interesting to watch and I found it so interesting to try and understand.”

After moving to Manchester for university, Hopkins’ talent quickly became clear. A trial at Sale Sharks led to a place in the club’s set-up, and from there she established herself as a standout wing for both club and England Under-20s. Her year abroad has not slowed that progress. If anything, it has sharpened her understanding of the game and helped her mature both on and off the field.

Her inclusion in the Red Roses camp comes at a time of major change for women’s rugby in England. The impact of the national team’s recent home World Cup win has been felt across the sport, with increased attention, crowds and investment.

“I don't think anybody could have expected the way that the popularity of rugby has skyrocketed after this historic win. Even the numbers at Twickenham are an indicator of how much people in this country are willing to invest their time and their money in women's rugby, and I think it's so exciting as a base to launch off our new World Cup cycle where more people in this country and worldwide are willing to invest and watch women's rugby.

"(It's) Very cool and I'm so proud of the girls in that regard so the next generation don't have to scrounge around for viewers, there's much more of a platform there which is really exciting.”

For Hopkins, being part of this new era brings deeper meaning to every session on the training ground. Balancing life in a Lyon laboratory with the demands of elite rugby is no small task, but it perfectly reflects her thoughtful, determined approach.

After a year in France, she will head back to Manchester to continue her studies and is likely to represent Sale along the way. What comes next remains open: a future in academia, full-time rugby, or perhaps both.