Emma Sing’s journey back to the forefront of English rugby has been one of resilience and determination. After losing her central contract with England, the Gloucester-Hartpury full-back sought the support of sports psychology to regain her form and confidence—a decision that played a crucial role in her return to the national squad and ultimately becoming a World Cup winner.
Despite being the top points scorer in Premiership Women’s Rugby for the past two seasons and leading Gloucester-Hartpury to three consecutive titles, Sing faced the challenge of missing out on an England contract at the start of the World Cup year. Watching the Women’s Rugby World Cup from the sidelines fueled her resolve to fight her way back into contention.
Sing credits friends and teammates, particularly Lizzie Goulden, for encouraging her to seek mental health support. “It was really hard; I just stuck my head down,” Sing recalls. “People nudged me to seek help from the sports side. After chatting it through and putting together a plan, I got back to playing. The goal was to get my contract back—and I did. It taught me not to be afraid to ask for help.”
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Her comeback was remarkable. Sing earned a place in John Mitchell’s squad, making three appearances during the World Cup, where the Red Roses reclaimed the world title in front of a record crowd at Allianz Stadium.
Now fully contracted with England, Sing is focused on securing more starts as the team prepares for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations. With the No.15 jersey currently held by Ellie Kildunne, Sing’s exceptional goal-kicking ability could be the key to increasing her playing time.
The Six Nations opener sees England face Ireland at Allianz Stadium, the very site of last year’s World Cup final. Sing spoke about the significance of returning to the venue and her hunger to start more games. “The greatest accolade is to start for your country. I’ve only started a few games so far, so putting my hand up for selection is something I’m determined to do. Anything to wear that white shirt,” she said during an event at Allianz Stadium, where she also engaged with local St Mary’s students.
Sing also highlighted the evolving dynamics within the squad due to the absence of key players, including three pregnancies from World Cup-winning skipper Zoe Stratford and forwards Abbie Ward and Lark Atkin-Davies. “Now’s a time for talented younger players to step up and show what they can do,” she added.
Fresh from returning from injury, Sing recently celebrated her 100th appearance for Gloucester-Hartpury in their win over Leicester Tigers, ranking second in the Premiership Women’s Rugby points chart behind Saracens’ Zoe Harrison. Impressively, she has not tasted defeat since early 2024.
Reflecting on last year’s World Cup final atmosphere, Sing described the goosebumps she felt stepping off the bus to a packed Allianz Stadium. “Seeing everyone cheering in the stairwells was incredible. Can it happen again? We want it to,” she said.
With 70,000 tickets already sold for the Six Nations match against Ireland, Sing and the Red Roses are set to inspire a new chapter in women’s rugby history at Allianz Stadium—and she’s ready to play her part.