Trailfinders Women's Rugby Academy at Brunel

Our Academy is led by Emma Cooper, Academy Manager and Trailfinders U23s Coach, supported by an exceptional team of international coaches and performance specialists.

Coaching staff

• Abi Burton - Head Coach (Red Roses International and GB Olympian)
• Meg Jones - Assistant Coach (Red Roses Vice-Captain and GB Olympian)
• Kate Zachary - Assistant Coach (USA Eagles Captain)
• Ella Amory - Assistant Coach (Belgium International)
• Lisa Thompson - Assistant Coach (Scotland International)

Performance and support team

• Amanda McQuade - Lead Physiotherapist
• Cristina Blanco - Assistant Physiotherapist (Spanish International)
• Jonathan Armour - Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Ellie Boatman - Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (GB Sevens Olympian)
• Emma Uren - Rehabilitation Strength and Conditioning Coach (GB Sevens Captain and Olympian)
• Uzzy Anwar - Lead Performance Analyst and Team Manager
• Jess Cooksey - Player Welfare Manager
• Dylan McVeigh - Lead Nutritionist

With a full-time team covering medical care, nutrition, strength and conditioning, performance analysis and welfare, you'll get the complete support you need to thrive - on the pitch, in the gym, and in everyday student life.

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Brunel and Trailfinders Sports Club offer one of the best high-performance rugby environments in the UK.

At Brunel you'll benefit from access to our:

• Rugby Performance Centre: dedicated training gym, indoor spaces, and FA‑registered 3G pitch for year‑round rugby.
• Indoor Athletics Centre (IAC): sprint lanes, agility zones and technical skill development areas.
• Brunel Sports Park: multiple full‑size pitches for rugby and football, athletics track, outdoor courts and large green spaces.
• Elite strength and conditioning gym: a multi‑million‑pound facility designed for high-performance athletes.

At Trailfinders Sports Club, home of Ealing Trailfinders and Trailfinders Women, you'll find

• Two 4G pitches and multiple high-quality grass pitches
• Elite strength and conditioning gyms, medical rooms and video analysis suites
• A state-of-the-art indoor training centre with a full indoor rugby pitch

Together, these facilities give our players a professional set-up to train, recover, and perform at their best every day.

Our athletes compete in BUCS Super Rugby, the highest level of women's university rugby. Beyond weekly league fixtures, you'll benefit from:

• Regular matches against the Armed Forces and visiting international universities.
• A dedicated Women’s Sevens squad.
• Partnerships with Championship 1 clubs to accelerate your development.
• Opportunities to train and play with Trailfinders Women in the Premiership Women's Rugby league.
• Personal and professional development workshops to prepare for life on and off the field.

Our Academy already includes International U20 players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, proof that top talent chooses Brunel to develop, perform and progress.

Live, train and study in one place. When you live on campus, you'll be right at the heart of Brunel's sporting and student community, sharing flats with other sports scholars and having everything you need within easy reach. Prefer to commute? Brunel's well connected by road, rail, underground and buses, so getting here is simple. And with Trailfinders Sports Club only a short journey from campus, you'll still have easy access for your professional‑level training.

As an Academy member, you'll also enjoy:

• Free access to Ealing Trailfinders and Trailfinders Premiership Women's Rugby league and Cup matches
• Bursaries and scholarships awarded to outstanding players, supporting tuition and accommodation costs