Hannah Botterman aims to be the best prop in the world at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup
English star Hannah Botterman has set her sights on establishing herself as the best loose-head prop in the world, aiming to achieve this goal for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Botterman had an outstanding performance in England’s 69-7 victory over the United States in Sunderland, marking the start of a campaign where the “Red Roses” are presented as the clear favorites to win the tournament.
Botterman scored the second of England’s 11 tries. Although satisfied with the team’s performance, she also has ambitious personal goals. “I’ve worked very hard during the preseason to get in shape. I don’t want to be shy about it, I want to be the best loosehead prop in the world. I want to consolidate that in this tournament. For me, it was a good start, but I feel like I can still give much more.”
Botterman joked: “Obviously, commentators love Ellie Kildunne, so… She does all the good stuff, so yeah.”
England faced an American team that included Hope Rogers, considered one of the best “loose-head” props in the world. “Obviously, Hope is a very good player, she plays very well week after week. But I don’t want to question [if Botterman is the best prop in the world], to be honest.”
Hannah Botterman scored a try in England’s big 69-7 victory over the United States.“I think I’m in the conversation and now I just want to keep going and keep improving. Everyone can improve everywhere, but for a long time, my scrummaging wasn’t the best. I’ve really worked on that and I think it’s an area of strength now.”
“Regarding the attack, I am happy; defensively I think I can be a little stronger and move my weight a little more. I feel physically in a very good moment, now it’s just about delivering the performances. I have put myself in a physically capable position. It’s just if I can produce what I want to produce. The desire has always been there, but I feel that now I can do a little more and I hope that has been demonstrated on the field.”
“But ultimately, I want the team to do as well as possible, and if I perform well within that, with your Ellie Kildunnes performing well, your Sadia Kabeyas, your Meg Jones, if everyone performs, then we put ourselves in a very good position. It’s been first class.”
Botterman also praised the work that scrum coach, Nathan Catt, has done at the camp.
“Catty has been great. She has brought us a lot of experience. She works very well with the complexities of the first lines and what we want to do. She has been fundamental for us, and having someone who focuses specifically on that area has been beneficial for us.”
In general, Botterman was satisfied with England’s performance in the first round and was happy to play in front of a record crowd in Sunderland.
“We are very fortunate to be in the position we are in now. Seeing all the people who came before us and who really worked to put us in this position, we obviously benefit from that now, but if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. We just have to enjoy it now.”
