Wales back-rower Alisha Butchers has been named Wales Women player of the year by the Welsh Rugby Writers Association.
The 37-cap Bristol Bears player has enjoyed a remarkable 12 months, going from crowdfunding for surgery for an injury to signing a full-time professional contract and then a series of barnstorming performances in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations.
Last year, Butchers, 25, had to resort to appealing for donations for an operation after suffering an ankle injury during a club training session, which was not covered by insurance. Her decision to speak openly about her situation led to insurance cover being improved for many players across the Premier 15s, England's top women's club rugby competition.
