LEVEL three sport student at Warrington & Vale Royal College, Imogen Roberts, recently celebrated officially signing as a professional player for Wales Rugby League Women’s Squad.
Now set to compete internationally, Imogen may well be on the line-up for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The young athlete has played rugby for over a decade, forming her love for the sport in primary school representing her local club, Woolston Rovers. Upon starting Cardinal Newman Catholic High School in Latchford, Imogen’s talent was quickly recognised by the town’s beloved club, Warrington Wolves, and she joined the Under 11’s Rugby Academy for five years before progressing to the Under 19’s squad when starting college. Alongside her own impressive commitments, Imogen has also dedicated numerous hours to volunteering for the Padgate-based Rylands Sharks Rugby League Club, using both her professional experience and the wide-ranging skillset she has developed at college to coach their under 7’s team.
It was during one of Imogen’s recent training sessions that she was scouted for trials for Wales, which is known as a ‘tier 1 nation’ in rugby league and considered to be one of the strongest and most competitive teams globally. After a rigorous selection process, only Imogen and fourteen other female athletes from all over the UK were chosen to travel to the renowned Principality Stadium in Cardiff to participate in an intense, four-hour long trial of training drills, interviews and a full rugby match. Shortly after, she received the exciting news that years of diligence, tenacity and unyielding grit has paid off and she has been selected as one of the next players to join the first team of the League’s Women’s Squad.
Elated with the announcement, Imogen commented: “I am absolutely over the moon to be signed for Wales, a team that I have dreamed of playing for since I was little. As both a player and a fan of rugby from a young age, it really is an honour to represent this world-class team.
“I cannot thank my tutors and the college enough for their unwavering support of my career journey. They have been completely flexible around my professional commitments, helped to develop my broad knowledge of the discipline of sport, and seem to be just as proud of me as people that I have known for years!”
Warrington & Vale Royal College, its staff and Imogen’s fellow classmates in the Sport, Military & Emergency Services Academy are incredibly proud of Imogen’s phenomenal accomplishments and, as some of her biggest supporters, are looking forward to cheering her on from the sidelines.
To explore school leaver and higher level sport courses at Warrington & Vale Royal College, visit: https://wvr.ac.uk/subject-areas/sport-military-emergency-services
