When she ran out with the Army Women’s team in the Super Sevens Series earlier this summer, Spr Lauren Brooks (RE) was adding to an already-impressive rugby resumé, and making more Premier 15s-winning experience available to the red shirt ranks going into the new season.
Spr Brooks is in her fifth season with Harlequins, including starting the 2021 Premier 15s Final, but by joining the Army Reserve she is joining her club mates, Bdr Bethan Dainton (RA) and SSgt Jade Mulllen (AGC (SPS)), as options for new Head Coach, SSgt Sarah Mitchelson (RLC).
“I have always seen how much fun Bethan and Jade always seem to have,” Spr Brooks says. “Alex Eddie was at Quins as well, and she is still involved with the Army rugby side of things. I had gone down to watch a couple of their games before I was in the Army Reserves and I think they have got a really good culture down there and a good ethos. It was definitely something I wanted to be a part of.”
Lauren playing 7s for the Army over the Summer at the third round of the Super 7s Series in Stafford.
Image – Alligin Photography © Lee Crabb
Image provided by Lauren Brooks.
Having grown up in an Army family, the idea of service is nothing new for Spr Brooks. But for her to follow in her father’s footsteps she has needed to add it into what was already a busy life, the back row forward working full-time in a marketing agency as well as training multiple times every week with Harlequins.
“My Dad was a regular soldier in the Army,” she explains, “so that was quite a big influence for me wanting to join, hearing all his stories. I always looked up to him for being in the Army so naturally I have always had a keen interest and over the past two years in particular just had that bigger drive to want to get involved where I can.
“Going in as a regular soldier over basic training I would have had to stop training with Quins for that three-month period, and then it is always harder to get back involved with squad especially with how competitive the league is getting. So I thought the Reserves was the best route so that I could carry on my day-to-day job, also play at Quins, and have the Army rugby side of it as well.”
With the Premier 15s being largely semi-professional, Spr Brooks is also an advocate for this route being an option for other players within the league to both develop themselves as well as add another income stream.
“A hundred percent,” she says. “Being in the Army Reserves you pick up so many skills that are transferrable in your day-to-day job. I also think the Army Reserves is a great way to see what Army life is about and it does give you a good taster for it. If you wanted to start as a Reserve you can then make that transition as a regular, so I feel like it is definitely the way forward if someone doesn’t necessarily know what they want to do.”
Spr Brooks is certainly enjoying the experience of wearing the red shirt, and hoping that being in the Sevens set-up can be a springboard into the full Senior team later in the year.
“I wouldn’t consider myself as naturally a Sevens player, I am a straight running forward,” she says. “But I have loved it, and this has been the first season I have joined in with the Sevens girls and they have all been really welcoming.
“I would absolutely love to put on a red shirt for the 15s side of things, so to get involved in that setup I think would be unreal. They are paving the way for women in sport, won at Twickenham Stadium in front of a great crowd, and I can only see that getting bigger and better with the players and the coaching staff. They really want to push the women’s game and it is great to see people advocate women’s sport.”
Image provided by Lauren Brooks © Natalie Bell Photography
But as well as establishing herself in the Army set-up there is also the small matter of helping Harlequins regain the title they won so memorably in Gloucester 18 months ago.
“At Quins I think we have probably got more of a thirst for it, because obviously we won it a couple of seasons ago and then we fell short last season in the semi-finals against Saracens,” Spr Brooks says. “It was an unreal experience to win that trophy and have it sat in our cabinet for a season, so it would be nice to reclaim it and have it back.
“Each year the season is growing and becoming a lot more competitive. With the announcement from the RFU about its 10-year plan I think it is in a really exciting place. There is no clear winner anymore but I think that is what makes the game exciting and draws a lot more fans and spectators to watching it.”
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks
Header and Featured Images – Alligin Photography © Lee Crabb
