Ealing Trailfinders have today confirmed three new arrivals from their player development pathways, ahead of their debut season in the Allianz Premier 15s. Ealing have announced the senior signings of academy graduate Jo Bucknell, and England U18s duo Annabel Meta and Lauren Knowler, ahead of next season.
The trio are set to join up with the new-look Ealing side, as they embark on their first season in the top flight of English Women’s rugby. Ealing have already confirmed the signings of Red Roses stars Abby Dow and Liz Crake, who make their respective moves from Harlequins and Wasps.
Ealing Trailfinders Women utilise their partnerships with Henley College and Brunel University, to bring through the most promising players into the senior squad. Jo Bucknall is an exciting young prop who outside of her Brunel University commitments, represents Richmond in the Women’s Championship South.
Annabel Meta is a dynamic number 8 who can also provide a more than capable shift on the flanks. She was part of the pathway at Henley College and Meta also represented England U18s this season in the U18s Women’s Six Nations. Lauren Knowler is a versatile centre, who’s praised for her pass distribution. She too was apart of the England Women’s U18s side, and Henley College team with Annabel Meta.
When speaking about all three of these signings, Ealing Trailfinders Director of Women’s Rugby Giselle Mather said: “To have three outstanding young players sign for the club who have come through our rugby pathways from both Henley College and Brunel University is a sign of things to come.
“Both programmes, along with Cardinal Newman school, give opportunity for young athletes to train and develop as rugby players alongside their academic studies.
“It is our stated intention that several future Trailfinders will have travelled the dual pathway as Jo, Annabel and Lauren have done, developing them as both people and players.
“I’m really excited about all three of these signings, Jo a versatile forward who leads from the front while Annabel is a ferocious ball carrier with a genuine passion for the game. Lauren is a beautiful distributor of the ball with bags of potential in all areas of back play and I can’t wait to see them grow in our environment and realise the potential we see in them.”