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didi ambassadors – Amy Cokayne

didi ambassador and England hooker Amy Cokayne leaning against a tree

England and Harlequins hooker Amy Cokayne knows all about the benefits of picking up a rugby ball from a young age.

By the age of six, she was having fun at the Lichfield club and learning the skills and values of the game.

So it was great to welcome Amy to the didi rugby family when she became an ambassador and helped launch the South Warwickshire franchise.

Amy’s rugby journey headed south at the age of nine when her family emigrated to New Zealand and her influence on her new school mates at Feilding High School was illustrated when they won an incredible 53 consecutive games in 2012 under her captaincy.

didi ambassador and England hooker Amy Cokayne leaning against a tree
didi ambassador – Amy Cokayne

Dream come true

She was invited to join a New Zealand Women’s training camp but had her heart set on playing for the country of her birth and that dream came true.

Amy scored her first England try in 2015 and was involved in every game at the 2017 World Cup in Ireland. She also scored a hat-trick of tries against Scotland and at the Stoop which was only the second time a front-rower had scored three tries in the history of the Six Nations.

Closing in on 50 England caps in her early 20s, Amy has a huge future ahead of her.

didi ambassadors – Amy Cokayne

Meet more didi ambassadors: England Women’s flyer Charlotte Pearce

Meet our didi ambassadors: England Women’s legend ‘Nolli’ Waterman

Find out more about Amy Cokyane: Amy Cokayne re-signs for Harlequins [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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didi Ambassador – Vicky Fleetwood

didi rugby ambassador, Vicky Fleetwood of Saracens wearing a red top

Born in Nuneaton, just up the road from the central hub of didi rugby, Vicky Fleetwood is one of England’s most decorated players.

The 31-year-old hooker has 79 caps for her country and plays for Saracens in the Allianz Women’s Premier XVs.

As a child, she was the UK’s top junior hurdler but eventually got into rugby as a player at the age of 14 after being tired of watching her brother play.

Vicky Fleetwood

Coming from the same Leicestershire School as England international and didi rugby ambassador Manu Tuilagi, Vicky played for Lichfield before moving to Saracens after England’s World Cup final in 2014.

Despite making her England debut in 2011, she raced to 50 caps in just four years.

More recently, Vicky played an important role in the path to success for her country in the 2021 autumn internationals.

Having had prior experience in personal training and diet and nutrition advising, she has now acquired the title of being a professional rugby player.

didi rugby ambassador

 

Vicky became a didi ambassador because the ethics and ideals of didi rugby are perfect for children’s development.

“I am a huge supporter of didi rugby because I think it is a fantastic way of getting children involved in sport and being active from such a young age. That is vital to their future development,” she said.

“Not only do didi’s staff work on their core skills such as handling, co-ordination and balance during educational games, they will also learn the values of rugby like respect and teamwork.

“In turn, this will build their confidence in their everyday life whether the children go on to play rugby or not. didi rugby will be a positive experience for everyone who gets involved.”

Meet our didi ambassadors: ‘Mo’ Hunt is a fiesty scrum-half with plenty of experience

Premier 15s round 7: Vicky Fleetwood reflects on Saracens Women win against Wasps YouTube interview: