Shelley Rae, twice a Women’s Rugby World Cup runner up with England and also a former IRB Women’s Personality of the Year award winner, has announced her retirement from international rugby.
Widely recognised as one of the best kickers and fly halves in the women’s game, Rae hangs up her boots having won 44 caps and scored 258 points for her country. That tally would undoubtedly have been more had she not had a number of injury-enforced absences since making her debut against the USA in 2000.
Within a year of taking up the game in 1996, Rae was fast-tracked into an Emerging England tour of the Netherlands. In 1997 she became a member of the senior squad where she developed into a key member of the side over the next decade.
Rae has been involved in some of England’s best moments during her career, appearing in two Women’s Rugby World Cup finals, losing to the New Zealand Black Ferns in both 2002 and 2006.
However Rae had been part of the touring England side that defeated their greatest rivals in their own backyard in North Harbour. That victory in 2001 over the Black Ferns remains one of England’s greatest in recent years.
A great example to next generation
The visitors claimed a real scalp in their 22-17 shock win and Rae scored her first try for England. Rae has also been part of a hugely successful English team in Europe – during her tenure England won both RBS Women’s Six Nations Grand Slams and European Championships.
Earlier this year she appeared for England A in games against the USA and the Nomads and in 2006 she captained this side, having returned to the international fold after a year out with a knee injury.
As well as being an outstanding defender and excellent controller of the game from her position at fly half, Rae’s impeccable kicking regularly earned her favourable comparisons with Jonny Wilkinson, both players making a major contribution to English rugby wearing the number 10 jersey.
In total Rae kicked 74 conversions, 33 penalties and 1 drop goal in her 44 appearances for England, showing an ability that is well respected by both her peers and coaches, including current England Women’s head coach Gary Street.
“Shelley was one of the finest kickers in world rugby and she has certainly had a distinguished career. She has also been a great example to our new backs coming through the ranks,” Street said.
Injury forces Belton into retirement
Rae will continue to play club rugby with London Wasps and while she decided the time was right to retire from international rugby, the same cannot be said for Ireland captain Sarahjane Belton who has failed to recover from an ongoing back injury.
Belton, who won 60 consecutive caps for her country, missed this year’s European Championships to take some time out to allow the injury to settle down, but ongoing problems have given her no other alternative than to retire from all forms of the game.
She made her Ireland debut against France at the European Championships in 2000. Three years later she was part of the Irish team that beat Spain for a first ever Six Nations win for Ireland and since then has helped them overcome Italy, Wales and Scotland in the same competition.
Belton captained her country on 26 occasions, including at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 in Canada where the fly half was the only Irish player named in the tournament’s All-Star Team.
In her career she has also played for Limerick clubs Shannon and UL-Bohemians and provincial side Munster. The 28-year-old will be remembered as one of Ireland's best ever attacking players with her eye for the try line complemented by some top drawer kicking and defensive skills.
“Sarahjane has an impeccable Irish team record,” said Ireland team manager Rachel Reid, a former Ireland team-mate of Belton’s. “She started 60 consecutive test matches for Ireland and has been ever present since the start of what I regard as the ‘new era’, which started at the European Championships in Spain 2000.
“Back then she was referred to as a ‘promising young fullback’, however, she developed into a world-class player and inspirational leader, both on and off the pitch. She has been instrumental in building the camaraderie and team spirit within the team since she first broke into the squad.”
