Claudia MacDonald

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Claudia MacDonald
Date of birth (1996-01-04) 4 January 1996 (age 28)
Place of birthEpsom, Surrey, England
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half / Wing
Current team Exeter Chiefs Women
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Durham University
Sutton & Epsom RFC
()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017–2018 Darlington Mowden Park Sharks ()
2018–2022 Wasps ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018– England 32 (80)

Claudia Frances MacDonald (born 4 January 1996) is an English rugby union scrum-half who plays for the England national team and club rugby for Exeter Chiefs Women.[1][2]

International career[edit]

MacDonald made her debut for the England national team coming off the bench against the United States in the 2018 Quilter Internationals.[3]

She played against Wales in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship, which England won with a grand slam.[4]

In January 2019, MacDonald was awarded a professional contract with the national team. Later that year, she scored a try in England's Super Series fixture versus the USA. She went on to play 80 minutes in England's victory over Italy in November 2019.[5][6]

MacDonald was a member of the 2020 Women's Six Nations England squad.[5] She was named in the England squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in October and November 2022.[7]

Club career[edit]

MacDonald played for Sutton & Epsom RFC before joining the Tyrrells Premier 15s side Darlington Mowden Park Sharks in September 2017. In 2018, she moved to Wasps Ladies.[8] In 2022 she started playing for Exeter Chiefs Women.

Early life, education and personal life[edit]

MacDonald was born in Epsom, Surrey, but her family moved to Dubai in 2008. They spent four years in the Gulf, where her brother Alex represented the Arabian Gulf side. Her second brother, Seb, also played rugby at the Swiegi Overseas Rugby Club in Malta.[9]

Previously a netballer, MacDonald did not start playing rugby until she was 19, but quickly went on to captain her university team at Durham University where she was studying for a degree in economics.[2][6]

MacDonald was educated privately at St John's School, Leatherhead in Surrey.[9]

She runs a blog, 'Let's Talk 1%', focusing on reducing environmental impact and climate emergency activism.[6][10] She is also a PADI-qualified rescue scuba diver.[9]

MacDonald is engaged to Irish international and Exeter teammate Cliodhna Moloney.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/players/claudia-macdonald
  2. ^ a b "Claudia MacDonald". The Atlas Foundation. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Senior England Women: Claudia MacDonald". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  4. ^ "How England Women achieved Grand Slam glory". Six Nations Rugby. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b c April 2021, Sophie Evans Thursday 1. "Exclusive: Meet Claudia MacDonald - the versatile England scrum-half advocating for change". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 27 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Rugby World Cup: Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling in England squad". BBC Sport.
  8. ^ "From novice to England in three years". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  9. ^ a b c "Claudia Macdonald". www.ultimaterugby.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  10. ^ "The England back tackling climate change". BBC Sport. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  11. ^ "I'm a big girl and not going to cry about it - Moloney". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 March 2024.

External links[edit]