Maggie Alphonsi lauds IRB Rugby Hall of Fame duo Carol Isherwood and Gill Burns

Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi is thrilled to see former England rugby duo Carol Isherwood and Gill Burns inducted into the IRB Rugby Hall of Fame.

Isherwood and Burns joined ex-New Zealand pair Anna Richards and Farah Palmer, former US international Patty Jervey and Frenchwoman Nathalie Amiel as the first six women honoured by the IRB at a ceremony last week.

Former England captain Isherwood was a founder member of the Rugby Football Union for Women before becoming the first female to join the IRB Council’s Rugby Committee 12 years later.

It's a special thing to be recognised not just on the women's stage but on the world stage. It's made people aware of their contribution to the game of rugby.

“To have that many women inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame is momentous,” Alphonsi told Sky Sports News HQ.

“It's a special thing to be recognised not just on the women's stage but on the world stage. It's made people aware of their contribution to the game of rugby.

“Carol Isherwood has been around women's rugby for an incredibly long time and pretty much started the Great Britain team.

Respect

“She's someone who I have a great deal of respect for, not just as an athlete - because she was a great rugby player - but for the work she has done to build what is now the women's rugby development side of the RFU.

“She was there at the outset and has really changed the face of women's rugby. One of the reasons why women's rugby is the way it is today is because of the likes of Carol Isherwood.”

Alphonsi also revealed her admiration for Burns who represented England on 73 occasions during a 14-year international career and played in their first World Cup triumph 20 years ago.

“When Gill talks to you it is truly inspiring,” the Saracens Women’s flanker said. ”The lady has achieved so much as an athlete and has been at the forefront of inspiring both male and female athletes in the sport.

“To have won the World Cup for the first time in England's history and to have captained England at a time when women's rugby was not that popular is something quite special.

“Before we went to the World Cup she came to visit the squad to try and inspire us to go on and win it and we did.”