Izzy Noel-Smith rugby player
Izzy Noel-Smith rugby player

Izzy Noel-Smith

19th Jul 1988 1.65m/78kg Openside Flanker

She was educated at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls and Bath University where she studied Coach Education and Sports Development. Winning the Six Nations Grand Slam four years ago is among Izzy’s proudest moments. England scored 161 points in the process and conceded only 12.

Having gained a PGCE, she is now a primary school teacher. She started playing with Monmouth minis before joining Hereford, Cullompton, Bath and Bristol.

When she was growing up, Lewis Moody was her rugby idol and Giselle Mather was her mentor. Izzy, who is from Northallerton, enjoys snowboarding and tennis and likes to watch lacrosse, athletics and hockey.

She scored the late pushover try that gave England an 8-3 win over Ireland in the side’s final match of the 2015 autumn series at Twickenham Stoop.

Her 15th cap was in a repeat victory over the same opponents at Twickenham last February and she emphasised her liking for games against Ireland with a vital late try in England’s win in Dublin this November.

She played in every England match in 2016, having reached 20 caps during the Rugby Super Series at Salt Lake City.

Having been named in the England squad for the 2017 6 Nations tournament, Noel-Smith received a call-up to the England Women squad for the 2017 Women's World Cup, where she finished the tournament with 42 caps.

In April 2018, Noel-Smith announced her retirement from rugby.

(LS April 25, 2018)

Career

england England Women
Openside Flanker
2016 - 2019