Fire POWER

We first crossed paths with Jade in 2022 at Feltham Fire Station, where she talked us through the realities of balancing rugby and the fire service. Now, with the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup kicking off, our friends at Sweaty Betty asked Glorious to spotlight athletes from our community who embody power and resilience, so going back to Jade felt like the obvious choice.

Jade’s first experiences with rugby were miles away from packed stands or TV cameras. They started on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands, where weekends revolved around her dad’s games and the sidelines became her playground. “I grew up watching my dad play, going along on weekends, running up and down the sidelines desperate to be involved. At nine years old I finally got my chance to play, but it was in a boys’ mini team. I loved it, but at the end of that season there wasn’t a girls’ side available, so I couldn’t carry on. I would just jump in whenever I could, a development day here, an occasional match there. Every chance just made me hungrier.”

Pulling on the Scotland shirt at nineteen was never a peak to be savoured and left behind. It was a start, and the way she talks about it makes clear the emotion has never dimmed. “It will never not feel special to pull on a Scotland shirt and represent my wee nation! Each tournament feels different, my focus is always to leave the shirt in a better place and give my best every time I step out on the field.” That sense of responsibility has carried her through more than sixty caps over thirteen years, and it still frames how she thinks about leadership. It’s not about her, it’s about everyone else, and making sure the next generation of players know they matter.

That mindset has been sharpened at club level too, captaining Harlequins in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league. The league has transformed the game by bringing together top players from around the globe and raising the standard for everyone. “What is great about the PWR is it has some incredible athletes from all over the world all coming together and learning from each other, so the standard is so high. I have learned so much by being in the PWR playing with and against the best, so it allows me to continue to push myself and those around me.” For a player with her experience to still talk about learning says a lot. Curiosity drives her as much as raw strength.

Her approach to Scotland duty has demanded the same mix of responsibility and sacrifice. The win over Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in 2021 ended years of frustration and finally secured their place at the tournament. The rescheduled dates clashed with her sister’s wedding, where she was meant to be Maid of Honour, yet she chose to play instead. “It was such a difficult sacrifice to make but the end result was qualifying for my very first Rugby World Cup, which I had been working a decade to reach.” Commitment like that shows how much sits beneath the highlights. Every milestone is built on structure and discipline.

Routine anchors everything she does, whether in rugby or beyond. “I feel the best when I have routine and a plan so I can focus on improving by one per cent every day.” That mindset has helped her combine international rugby with a second career that would be demanding enough on its own. Jade is also a firefighter. “It is still a huge part of my life. I have recently been promoted to Leading Firefighter, and I will start my new role at Wembley on the Red Watch after the tournament. That will bring new opportunities, learning, and challenges.” Her shifts are relentless, yet she bends them around rugby commitments. “I have to be really organised to make sure I tick everything off that needs to be done. I work a two-days, two-nights, four-days-off shift pattern and fit all my training around that.” And just in case two careers are not enough, she also runs Team Apex Training, her coaching business, working with five online clients in the time she manages to carve out.