Gill Burns MBE
Rugby Union
Gillian (Gill) Burns MBE is passionate about sport. The now retired physical education teacher was a trailblazer in the world of Women’s Rugby.
Gill had an international career than spanned 14 seasons and she was England Captain for 5 of them. The 1994 World Cup Winner retired in 2002, having
played in four World Cups, with a World Record number of caps.
Red Rose number 23 went on to become the President of the Rugby Football Union for Women for a decade before the RFU took the women’s game under its reign.
Alongside her distinguished playing career Gill was a full time senior teacher and outside of work she was never without a rugby administrative role of some description.
In 2005 Gill was honoured by receiving an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for her dedication to the game and in 2014 she was amongst the first 6 women in the world to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Gill has continued her involvement in rugby and today is a Board Member and volunteer for Lancashire County and she dedicates much of her free time to the Wooden Spoon Charity as she is one of their national ambassadors.