New Year Honours: Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark thrilled with MBEs
Thursday 22 January 2015 10:31, UK
Rugby World Cup winners Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark have expressed their delight at receiving MBEs in the New Year Honours.
No 8 Hunter was vice-captain of the England Women’s team victorious against Canada in Paris in August, while prop Clark is England’s second most-capped player having represented her country on 95 occasions.
"It's a massive honour to be recognised in this way. As a team we have enjoyed incredible success and I'm so proud to be a part of that,” said Hunter, who also captained England during the Six Nations.
"This is for everyone who has been involved in my journey along the way - from when I started playing at the age of nine all the way through to winning the World Cup this summer.
"It's the medics who get you onto the pitch, my family who have been incredible throughout and of course all of the players and coaches. It's a real team effort and it's been a massive whirlwind since we won the World Cup - it hasn't sunk in yet and to have this award on top is surreal. It's such an honour."
Clark admits she never envisaged receiving such an honour when she began her international career 11 years ago.
She said: "I feel hugely honoured and proud to receive this award and would like to thank my family, and in particular my mum for driving me around, my friends and all the coaches along the way for supporting me.
"And a special mention to [England women's forwards coach] Graham Smith for making me the player I am today.
"If you had asked me in 2003 - when I got my first cap - if I would become a world champion and receive an MBE I wouldn't have believed it, but 11 years on it's all happened at once. What a year 2014 has been and I still feel I have lots to give, on and off the field."
In other honours, Dame Mary Peters, who won gold in the pentathlon at the 1972 Olympics, has been made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to sport and the community in Northern Ireland.
Wendy Sly, who won silver in the 3,000m at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, receives an MBE for services to athletics.
Kate Richardson-Walsh, the much-decorated captain of the England and Great Britain hockey teams, also receives an MBE.
She broke her jaw in the opening match of the London Olympics but after missing two matches returned to inspire the team to the bronze medal.
