Scarborough's Steph Else eager to shine for England U20s at inaugural Six Nations Summer Series

Scarborough RUFC's Steph Else in action for England Under-20s.

Having featured in the Women’s Premiership final for Gloucester-Hartpury, Staintondale’s Steph Else is packing her rugby kitbag again this week as she has been selected for the England Women’s Under-20s inaugural Six Nations Women’s Summer Series in Parma, Italy.

Former Scarborough RUFC junior Steph, 20, who is in her second season at title-winning Gloucester-Hartpury in the Premiership has also recently been rewarded with a Transition Contract by the England Red Roses alongside Scarborough-born Zoe Aldcroft who is already one of the 32 England Contracted Players.

The Transition Contracts help to support aspiring young Red Roses in their early professional journey and safeguard some of their week for dedicated personal rugby development.

Last season Steph made three appearances from the bench for the “Rising Roses” and with those experiences behind her, lifted her game to the point where she started all three of their matches this season, including a 45-5 victory over Wales at Bristol where Steph captained the side and won the Player of the Match Award.

A young Steph Else pictured in her Scarborough RUFC juniors days.

England Women’s U20s are coached by LJ Lewis a former Loughborough player and academy coach at Gloucester-Hartpury and last week the squad were in an intensive training camp at the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Marlow, Buckinghamshire in readiness for the forthcoming series of matches. The squad fly out to Italy on July 2 and over the two weeks of competition England will face Ireland on July 4, followed by Wales on July 9 and France on July 14, all at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

Steph who began her rugby playing journey aged four years old at Scarborough RUFC Minis back in their old Newby Showground days recently returned to the Scarborough club’s Silver Royd HQ alongside Zoe Aldcroft as ambassadors for the RFU and the Red Roses, part of the Love Rugby campaign ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.

The international stars held an open training session for young players on the club fields followed by a Q&A opportunity in the main stand and finally a chance for a memorable photo or two.

Tim Drake Director of Women’s and Girls Rugby at Scarborough RUFC said “Everyone at Silver Royd would like to say many congratulations to Steph and Zoe on their England Rugby contract announcements, thank you for the fantastic inspirational evening and our very best wishes to Steph for the Italian Summer Series matches.”