Ex Hove player debuts at StoneX for Cambridge

University of Cambridge Women’s Rugby have confirmed that Ex Hove player and fresher Erin Fuller will start at Number 4 in this Saturday’s historic Varsity Match against University of Oxford at the StoneX Stadium.

Selection to start in the Varsity Match is a significant achievement for any player, but it is particularly rare for a first-year student. Erin’s inclusion in the starting XV marks a remarkable milestone early in her university career, and she will earn the prestigious honour of becoming a Cambridge Blue. The Varsity Match between Cambridge and Oxford is one of the oldest and most celebrated rivalries in university sport, showcasing the highest level of student rugby talent in the country. To be selected in the starting squad for such a fixture is a testament to Erin’s dedication and development

Erin’s rugby journey began at age 13 with Hove Girls, initially encouraged by a friend who wanted someone to attend training with her. Erin progressed steadily through the age groups at Hove, demonstrating early promise. She represented Sussex at both U16 and U18 county level and was selected for the ACE rugby programme at Newman College. Last season, aged just 17, she made her debut for Hove Women’s 1st XV in Championship 2, coming off the bench against Blackheath, an early indicator of her readiness for senior rugby.

Proud father Rob Fuller, a coach at Hove RFC says “We are so proud to see Erin play in her first Varsity match for Cambridge. It's recognition of the huge amount of dedication and hard work she has put into both her school studies and her rugby over many years and we can't wait to watch her go out and smash Oxford! UTH"

Erin attended Varndean School for secondary education before completing her A-levels at Newman College. Erin now studies Archaeology at Peterhouse, Cambridge, balancing the demands of an academically rigorous course with elite-level rugby. Erin’s selection is not only a personal achievement but a proud moment for grassroots rugby in Hove. It is believed she may be the first woman to have come through both Hove Girls and Hove Women’s sections to start in the Women’s Varsity Match, a potentially historic milestone for the club and the local rugby community.

Her journey exemplifies the strength of the girls’ pathway at Hove and the opportunities available for young female players to progress from junior rugby to the highest levels of the university game. As Cambridge and Oxford prepare to renew their historic rivalry this Saturday, Erin Fuller will take her place in the engine room of the pack, representing her university, her club, and her hometown on one of university rugby’s biggest stages.

Join us in wishing Erin the very best for the Varsity Match.