Hove Rugby Club is thrilled to announce that our very own Lucia Dickinson (17), Flanker, has been selected for the Ireland U18 Women’s training squad, sponsored by PwC, ahead of the upcoming Six Nations U18 Festival. The tournament will take place at Wellington College in England over the Easter holidays.

Lucia's rugby journey began at Hove RFC when she joined the U16s at the age of 14. After taking a year out, she returned with determination and has worked incredibly hard to achieve this milestone. She has dedicated herself to development through Sussex as the U16 Captain, the ACES girls team at Newman College, participation in the local RFU Player Development Group (PDG), and making regular trips to Dublin to pursue her international ambitions.

Rugby is truly a family affair for the Dickinsons, with Lucia’s younger sisters, Isla and Florence, proudly playing for the Hove Girls U14s and U10s respectively. Now, Lucia’s hard work has paid off as she takes the next step in her rugby career, representing Ireland on the international stage.

The Ireland U18 Women’s training squad comprises thirty-five players, including six who participated in last year's tournament: Bronagh Boggan, Emma Jane Wilson, Kate Noons, Usha Daly O'Toole, Siofra Hession, and Mia Hennelley. Head Coach Matt Gill expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "I’m delighted to be coaching the Ireland U18 WXV squad once again as we prepare for the Six Nations Festival. I can’t wait to continue our preparation in camp and build towards the festival kicking off. It’s also very exciting to work alongside Murray and the rest of the management team. We have a very talented group of players coming in, with fantastic representation from all four provinces and the IQ programme."

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2025/03/05/ireland-u18-womens-training-squad-named/amp/

From all of us at Hove RFC, we wish Lucia the very best of luck in the tournament. For those who support Ireland, you will soon have a home-grown talent to cheer on! We look forward to seeing her in action and hope to one day proudly display her jersey alongside our other international players in the clubhouse!

Go well, Lucia – we are all behind you!