#Celebrating RYEDALE's Tatyana Heard: From Malton & Norton Junior to International Rugby Star

Key Highlights :

1. Tatyana Heard is from Kirkbymoorside and has been playing rugby for Malton & Norton;

2. She has had three anterior cruciate ligament injuries and has returned to international duty for last year's Rugby World Cup;

3. She has now scored a try in every match of the Six Nations and is hoping her profile can help to increase the sport in North Yorkshire;

4. She is from Kirkbymoorside and has gone on to play for Gloucester Hartpury;

5. If she had stayed at home, she would not be where she is today.

     Tatyana Heard, a 28-year-old from Ryedale in North Yorkshire, has been making a name for herself on the international stage after her impressive performances in the TikTok Women's Six Nations. Having not scored a try in an England shirt until the competition, the former Malton & Norton junior had crossed the whitewash in every match thereafter until Saturday’s decider against France.

     Heard's England career has been blighted by injury thus far, suffering three anterior cruciate ligament injuries before returning to international duty for last year’s Rugby World Cup. She played in four of the Red Roses’ matches in New Zealand, earning the Player of the Match in their 59-3 thrashing of Wales.

     The former Kirkbymoorside resident has now returned better than ever, with her latest score against Ireland, in which she profited from a quick-thinking offload to burst forward down the left edge unchallenged, winning the Six Nations’ try of the week.

     Heard hopes that her profile can help to increase the sport in North Yorkshire, and looks back on her time with Malton & Norton with fond memories. She said: “We used to have to drag a few girls across from Scarborough. We used to play mostly friendlies, but now the club has a girls’ and women’s team. It’s really grown. A few of them came to watch the Scotland game and brought me a scrunchie.”

     The centre is also keenly aware of the inequalities that still exist in the sport. She said: “In my brother’s rugby team growing up, if you went to a private school you’d get better access to rugby. We didn’t go to private schools, we were in state ones, so he didn’t have that access, he just happened to be really good at it. All the boys from private schools would get in on the pathway. If you don’t have access to great sport, you’re not going to have the opportunity to excel at it. [Gloucester] Hartpury gave me that opportunity. If I’d stayed at home, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

     Heard's success has been inspirational for those in the North Yorkshire area, and her story is one that many people can relate to. Her journey from Malton & Norton junior to international rugby star shows that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

Continue Reading at Source : yorkpress