My regional cap as a player. I played for the South East twice and this equated to consideration for selection by the England national team. I also had a trial for Scotland.

At club level, I played for Richmond for seven seasons as lock for six regularly playing for the first XV, and as winger for the second XV for my last season. I was also captain of the 2nd Sevens team - and then broke my leg.

In the early days of women's rugby in the UK, I was the only person regularly writing a column about the sport. This was mostly in "Rugby World" and lasted for six years.

I was paid a flat rate for my monthly articles, and couldn't claim any expenses. So I was usually out of pocket gathering the information or watching matches around the UK. Quite often my article would be dropped for an ad, without warning. It made keeping a continuity of readership fairly challenging. There just wasn't the same attitude to the sport as there is now.

I also collated the stats for women's rugby in the UK across all levels for the Rothmans Rugby Year Book for many years. This included a review of the season.

After "Rugby World", I went on to write for "First XV" and "Rugby News", as well as contributing articles to many regional publications.

As a Press Officer, I started promoting rugby on a local level at Richmond Women's Rugby Club where I played for the club for seven seasons. I then became Press Officer for the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991 as one of the four organisers, and spent the following season as Press Officer for the Women's Rugby Football Union as it was called then.

A "First XV" article

Coverage of the 1994 World Cup in Edinburgh for "First XV". I was an accredited freelance reporter at the event. Oh and England won.

Peer recognition for my mostly unpaid/loss making work as a rugby writer.

Honoured to be inducted in November during the Women's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand for my work as one of the pioneers of the event back in 1991.

My Hall of Fame cap. "Inductee 157" is embroidered on the inside of the cap.

Key footage is already in the can for a documentary about 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup (WRWC). I'm director, co-producer and writer working with Branded Studios and Hurcheon Films to complete this project in time for the next WRWC being staged in England during August and September 2025. But the project needs urgent funding to cover the cost of archive footage, and we're crowdfunding our post production costs: https://greenlit.com/project/founding-four - please donate and share the link.

I am currently directing the definitive documentary feature about the 1991 World Cup called "The Founding Four" working alongside collaborators renowned broadcaster Nick Heath and producer Charlotte Fantelli with Branded Studios/Hurcheon Films. We are well into the edit but needed some help getting this unique origins story over the line as archive footage is a massive cost. So we ran a crowdfunding campaign via Greenlit, and raised 104% of our goal.

Now the negotiations are well under way. More updates as they happen. But we've got unique insights to share, unseen footage to reveal and untold tales to tell.

One of many interviewees from 1991: Isla Meek, merchandising manager.

One of many interviewees from 1991: Sue Eakers, volunteer and match manager

Interviewing Stephn Jones of the Sunday Times, a long time supporter of the women's game.

There's a creative space dedicated to me as a World Cup pioneer. It's in the World Rugby offices in Webb Ellis House, Twickenham right by the stadium. I hear it's used for creativity, brainstorms and communication. Perfect!

One of many specialist rugby titles for whom I wrote back in the day.

Review of the 1991 World Cup P1

Review of the 1991 World Cup P2

Review of the 1991 World Cup P3

The replacement logo for the tournament designed by my cousin James Young of January Design.

Preview of the 1991 World Cup

Preview of 1991 World Cup P2

I played second row for this regional team which constituted a trial for England. Many of players this team went on to represent England, and are now respected coaches and administrators within the women's game.

This is a link to my Wikipedia page, created by World Rugby: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cooper_(rugby_union) which needs updating somewhat.

Here my advertising writing and rugby life collided with this award-winning promotion for Tetley's Bitter. It had to feature the brand spokesman who was the then men's England captain: Martin Johnson. It was highly commended in the Institute of Sales Promotion awards, as the campaign not only worked but generated a lot of press coverage too.

A press ad with the same promotion. You'll find the supporting radio campaign of two commercials on my radio reel elsewhere on this website.