Member’s pride at touring South Africa with British Police Rugby

21 April 2026

Representing Suffolk Police on a British Police Rugby tour to South Africa was the experience of a lifetime, says Federation member PC Madeleine (Maddie) Chambers.

Maddie said the 10-day trip to Cape Town was an unforgettable mix of rugby and cultural discoveries.

She said: “I think it was the best trip I’ve been on in my life.

“Being out there with the team, making lasting friendships, experiencing a new culture and a new country and playing against incredibly good players and teams is something I won’t forget.”

The tour saw British Police Women take on two formidable South African domestic sides.

 

 

The opening fixture was against Sanlam Boland Dames, a powerful outfit featuring several Springbok internationals.

That was followed by a game against Western Province, another powerhouse of women’s rugby in South Africa with international experience throughout the squad.

Maddie said: “It was surreal.

“We watched some of them playing for their country on TV during the World Cup in the summer, and then suddenly you’re on the same pitch as them, and they’re going full on.

“It really hits you just how high the standard is.”

National trials

Maddie was selected for the British Police after national trials in Manchester in 2024 while she was still in training school.

She said: “I was so, so happy to be selected.

Maddie plays at a prop and can scrummage at loosehead and tighthead.

And she said she takes immense pride in flying the flag for the Force.

“You’re putting your name and your Force on the map,” she said. “It’s a really proud feeling.”

 

 

Off the pitch, the tour offered an introduction to South African culture.

Highlights included an early-morning hike up Table Mountain just hours after landing, visits to the Cape of Good Hope, and seeing the famous penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

The squad also enjoyed a tram wine tour and an African drumming dinner experience, immersing themselves in local traditions.

“It was 10 days of non-stop experiences,” she said. “Exhausting, but incredible.”

And she said that the camaraderie within the squad was one of the highlights.

Friends

“The hardest part of the tour is you make such good friends, then everyone scatters back across the country and we’re not going to see each other until we next play,” she said.

“I’m really close with a few of the girls and we’ve organised to go to the Women’s Six Nations together and spend a few days doing some touristy things.”

Domestically, Maddie has also made a significant leap in standard, moving from Southwold in NC 2 Midlands (East) to Bury St Edmunds in the Women’s Championship. Maddie said that while the jump has meant longer travel and careful juggling with her response policing role, she has seen huge growth in her rugby.

“I’ve loved it,” she said. “I’ve developed so much as a player, and I think that step up has helped my progression within the British Police setup too.”

 

 

The British Police calendar remains busy for the rest of the season, with fixtures against the RAF in March, a rugby festival in Cornwall in May, and an international trip to France in June to face the French Navy.

“Going to France to play the French Navy is quite cool,” Maddie said.

“I’m thankful for these opportunities that the job has offered me.

“I’m grateful to be able to go with other officers from across the country and represent British Police

“In previous jobs I've had, there's not a chance for me to go travel halfway across the world to do something I love.

“It’s a proud moment every time I wear the British Police shirt.”

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