Meet Holly Aitchison and Zoe Harrison: England's next generation busting stereotypes

Exclusive: Having defied tired stereotypes about women’s rugby, the England duo are determined to encourage more youngsters into the game

Zoe Harrison (right) and Holly Aitchinson after training together
Zoe Harrison (right) and Holly Aitchinson after training together Credit: David Rose

Holly Aitchison gives her England and Saracens team-mate Zoe Harrison a nudge and an encouraging nod when the latter is asked whether her style of game management as England dismantled world champions New Zealand in the opening two Tests of their autumn series is similar to Owen Farrell’s. 

There may be an argument not to compare female players to men and to allow women’s sport to stand on its own two feet, but the comparison with the England and Saracens captain is welcomed. “I model my game on him a lot. I watch a lot of the Sarries boys’ games, obviously, and he is the one I look up to,” she says. 

All the while Aitchison is bobbing her head in agreement, and she shares that Harrison is yet to talk tactics with Farrell at Saracens – rather there was a “random encounter in the physio room”. As the conversation progresses over Zoom, there is much of the same prodding and elbowing between the pair as they speak from the room they are sharing at the National Sports Centre, Bisham Abbey, in the build-up to the Red Roses’ clash against Canada on Sunday. 

Holly Aitchison (left) helps Zoe Harrison with a conversion attempt against New Zealand
Holly Aitchison (left) helps Zoe Harrison with a conversion attempt against New Zealand Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Harrison, 23, and Aitchison, 24, who started at outside centre in place of the injured Emily Scarratt and was a very effective second playmaker in her first two Tests, are the best of friends as well as team-mates. The pair have known each other since their teen years and while Harrison, who grew up in Tring, made her name in XVs and Aitchison, from Formby, became a sevens specialist, a deep bond was formed while they were studying at Hartpury College. 

They played the same 10-13 roles for England Under-20s and often give expert analysis on each other. However, Aitchison will be coming off the bench for Sunday's Test. Aitchison turns to Harrison when the issue of being the starting England fly-half comes up, as it has been one of the most hotly debated topics in women’s rugby since Katy Daley-Mclean announced her international retirement last year. Harrison played more at 12 during the Six Nations and endured a difficult time in Saracens’ Premier 15 final loss to Harlequins, but is cementing the shirt with her performances this autumn. 

The Olympian says to her friend: “You don’t want to be in a shirt that is not your best position – you are a very driven person and the main driver of the team doing what you are good at. You don’t want to be an accomplice, you want to be the one driving it.” 

And when the question of what those tuning into BBC2 to watch the Red Roses can expect, Harrison turns to Aitchison – with another striking comparison to the men’s game. “There is so much Holly can bring from sevens – there is the stepping, long passing, her footwork is insane and the speed out of the footwork is something a lot of the men’s XVs players don’t have, other than someone maybe like Cheslin Kolbe, from South Africa,” she says. 

With exposure on terrestrial television, the players have seen a jump in their Instagram followers of thousands and are determined to show what it means to be a female rugby player and to bust some outdated stereotypes. “I got called ‘a man’ by boys at my school and that is a big reason why I like to show different sides of my life on social media,” says Harrison, before Aitchison adds: “I got called ‘butch’ once, and it really hurt.” 

Aitchison (centre) and Harrison (right) with team-mate Hannah Botterman
Aitchison (centre) and Harrison (right) with team-mate Hannah Botterman Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Harrison continues: “It is good for the younger girls to see our other side because rugby is still perceived as quite a male sport. Some young girls may not want to play it because it is not seen as girly when you are going through those teenage years. 

“We are still girly-girls and we are at the very top level of rugby. We do our social media in a professional athlete way… we do show what we are like at home, so Holly will, when she has a good outfit on, take that picture and stick it on Instagram. I would do the same. 

“It is a mix – now I just put up all rugby photos, but when I am out of England camp I like to put up pictures of holidays or show off a new dress on a night out. You are still a girl, just because you play a sport you shouldn’t have that you are girly taken away from you. Being called names didn’t stop me, but it could stop others, and we want to get the message out there: don’t stop playing.” 

Harrison and Aitchison are part of a generation of English female rugby players who know only professionalism. Harrison says it has made the sport much more competitive. “There are always people chasing our tails. I feel there will be fewer people making 100 caps because there is constantly a flood of girls coming up behind us,” she says. 

“You can see with this series, we had a few injuries and there is someone to fill the shirt, but there is always someone underneath. Everyone is getting pushed to their limits. With contracts now, people are more determined – there is always someone coming for you.” 

The pair say England head coach Simon Middleton has taken an encouraging approach less than a year out from the rescheduled World Cup, and Aitchison is grateful for the opportunity just months after missing out on Olympic bronze. “It was a big selection from Simon Middleton, but he also spoke about taking the pressure off,” she says. 

“There was no expectation on me. Emily Scarratt is the best player in the world, there was never an expectation that I was going to be the finished article on my debut. That was easier for me – there was a bit of external pressure, but realistically I wasn’t expected to do that well.” 

Harrison chimes in: “He helped take the pressure off by saying there were lots of people on debut, and we are trying different combinations. He said to go have fun.” 

When asked how they make Test rugby fun, they reply in unison. “Win! Running rugby and scoring tries. People need to know it is a learning process for us this autumn. That is what it is about for all of us here.”

License this content