Players sought for new Force women’s rugby side

28 May 2025

Two members of the British Police Women’s rugby squad are making plans for Nottingham Police to have its own team.

We spoke to PC Charlotte Lacy and police staff member Toni McGonigle.

Playing rugby is a large part of PC Charlotte Lacy’s life, and now she wants to start a Nottinghamshire Police women’s side.

Charlotte plays for the British Police Women’s team and, shifts permitting, for Long Eaton. She previously played for Lichfield Ladies, who play in the second tier of English rugby.

“During the first week of training school, organisations come to introduce themselves, such as the Federation, and one of them was sport,” said Charlotte, who recently passed out.

“I found Nottinghamshire didn’t have a team, so, essentially, I had to go straight to the British Police team, but there are a couple of us who are keen to start one up.”

British Police

Charlotte has support from Toni McGonigle, digital support centre manager, her British Police squad mate.

“We’ve tried to set up a ladies’ team before in Nottinghamshire but it was fairly tricky to get the numbers with officers working shifts,” Toni said. “But it would be really nice to see.”

Flanker Toni was introduced to the British Police team after being asked to attend a game against the British Fire Service at Nottingham Rugby Club and a dinner afterwards on behalf of the then Chief Constable, Craig Guildford.

 

Picture by Clare Gelderd Photography (www.claregelderdphotography.co.uk)

 

Toni, who plays for Nottingham-based Mellish, said: “He wanted a female who would want to go and watch and someone he spoke to knew I played rugby.

“As it got closer, I thought that I’d love to play rather than watch, so I contacted them and asked about playing. I ended up trialling the day before the game and was selected to play.”

Toni is now captain of the British Police second XV.

Armband

“I’m really proud to represent the Force and police staff. To wear that captain’s armband feels special,” she said.

Charlotte is a versatile back, who can play scrum-half, inside centre, and full-back. She joined the British Police squad after a two-day trial.

“Training school was happy to accommodate me going to the trials, which was great,” she said.

“I drove to Manchester, did the training day and drove back because I had to be at work for the morning, and I then had to drive back again to do the match.

“I was on the bench for the first XV and came on at scrum-half and just loved it.

“Everyone was so welcoming. It was really well structured, which was nice and reassuring.”

Charlotte played her first game for the team earlier this year, when they were beaten by the RAF.

She came off the bench, this time at full-back, with 35 minutes to go and the police side trailing 25-10.

Fresh legs

“A few of us came on and I think fresh legs helped bring it back up again,” she said.

Charlotte kicked two conversions helping the side to a 29-25 lead. However, she was forced off through injury with minutes left, watching as the RAF scored a try in the final minute to win 30-29.

“It was such a good game. It was physical, it was fast paced, it was great to be involved in,” she said.

Charlotte, previously a footballer, ‘fell in love’ with rugby while at university in Leeds and helped establish girls’ teams at Rugby School – the birthplace of the sport – during a sport analysis internship there in 2022.

“They had tried to start it before but there was no uptake so I started running sessions on a Monday and Tuesday night. I got some of the first team lads to come and help with some skills sessions.

“They've picked it up really well and they've now got it on the school curriculum, which is great to see because I never had the opportunity at school.”

READ MORE: Crying wolf? No, the Federation was proved right.