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Former England head coach Simon Middleton has a favorite anecdote from the first time he spotted the promise and potential of Morwenna Talling. It was late 2019 and Middleton was a keen observer as Loughborough Lightning hosted champions Saracens. Red Roses icons Katy Daley-McLean, Emily Scarratt and Marlie Packer were all in attendance, but it was an unknown streak that caught Middleton’s eye – with a little help from a beaming dad.
“I think it was my first game for Loughborough,” recalls Talling, now 22, of a story told to her many times by both sides. “I had played two games for the Lightning development team and then I was asked to start against Sarries. It was a big match to start.
“My dad was watching with my mum, and Midds was behind them talking to Richard Blaze, who was the England forwards coach at the time.
“I did something and Midds said, ‘Who is that?’ Apparently my father turned around and said, “That’s my daughter.” Dad didn’t know who Midds was – my mom had to tell him. He didn’t know he was the England head coach; he was just proud. It’s really cute.
The father’s pride remained with Middleton and 12 months later the story was told for the first time in public when the then England manager awarded Talling, still a teenager, her first cap in the encounter delayed from the Women’s Six Nations against Italy. A budding red rose had arrived.
A product of North Yorkshire, Talling followed his older brother to Malton and Norton RFC after brief dalliances with swimming and football. Where her other sporting activities failed to capture her full attention, young Talling was drawn almost immediately to rugby. “I was thinking about giving it a try, but I didn’t get bored, so I kept going.”
The qualities that first attracted Middleton to Talling are the same traits that now make the versatile five-man forward an increasingly important figure for the Red Roses. Described by defense coach Sarah Hunter as a “workaholic,” Talling is a true grafter; a person who enjoys doing the invisible work that keeps England’s winning machine running.
In the person of Hunter and forwards coach Louis Deacon, she can count on the advice of kindred spirits. “I feel like that’s always been my point of difference,” Talling says. “Going from swimming to football to rugby, working hard from a young age has always been my thing.
“I will continue. I won’t give up. I love him. That’s what motivates me: next job, next job, doing it for the team. That’s what always sticks in my mind. Suns [Sarah Hunter] as a player who was known for her work rate on the pitch, having her contribution has been incredible.
A proud northerner, Talling swapped Loughborough for Sale at the start of last season and has now transferred her geography degree to Manchester Metropolitan University to enable her to continue her studies alongside her professional career.
Comfortable at lock or in the back row, Talling is the only Red Rose in the Sharks squad. Difficulty attracting contracted English players north led to a points deduction last season, with Sale in breach of Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) rules after being forced to rely on foreign imports to bolster the strength of his team.
Talling hopes the situation will change. “I went back up and I just wanted to raise awareness that rugby is in the north. We have a platform up there, and there is support there. I want to try to play a few more players there.
“At the moment it’s a very local culture, and we enjoy it because we want to show what the North is. Northern rugby matters – it’s such a great thing Michelle [Orange, Sale’s co-owner] and everyone is growing up there. It’s a cool place, it’s got great facilities – Michelle has done a lot for the women’s team and everyone has bought into it.
The move helped Talling bounce back after a tough few years due to injuries. “One of the things I was looking for was to try to develop leadership skills. After some injuries [to other players]I had this opportunity to become captain.
“It developed my game off the field, being able to have conversations with people and make decisions on the field. I had a few meetings with [former Wales captain] Rachel Taylor, our coach, talks about leadership, and I’m really kind of a captain who leads by example. I put my head down, I do the work and people can follow that. I’m trying to develop the speaking side.
Talling is part of a new generation of rugby players for whom the professional path has always been there. Without neglecting his studies, his entire professional life has been spent in international rugby. She is quick to point out the hard work of older teammates like Scarratt and Natasha “Mo” Hunt to break down barriers and get the sport to where it is today.
Talling thrives with the support provided by a world-class program and head coach, John Mitchell. After missing the start of the Six Nations due to injury, she returned to play a central role in England’s Grand Slam victory in Bordeaux. On Sunday, she will start in her preferred blindside position in the Red Roses’ WXV opener against the United States in Vancouver.
The competition is tough but Talling, in her quiet, understated way, is ambitious with a home World Cup on the horizon. “I always want to start,” she says. “It’s always the aspiration. Participate in each session, do my best, make sure I play my role well. I think Mitch [Mitchell] He’s someone who, if you play well, you win the jersey. But you have to keep this shirt and earn it every week.
“I’m not necessarily someone who likes to be in the spotlight. But it’s not very often that we organize a World Cup at home. It’s really exciting because we have the opportunity to show who we are and inspire the next generation. If I can get two or three girls to pick up a rugby ball or go to their local club, that’s what I’m here for.
