YEOVIL NEWS: World Cup winner WILL be honoured by town

YEOVIL-BORN rugby World Cup winner Marlie Packer is said to be “delighted and honoured” at the prospect of being made an Honorary Freewoman of the town.

Marlie, 24, was part of the England team which won the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France last month.

Now Yeovil Town Council last night (Tuesday, September 9, 2014) ratified a recommendation made last week to award Marlie with the prestigious honour bestowed on those people from the town who have acted with distinction.

Cllr Tony Lock again made the proposal and this was seconded by Cllr Jon Gleeson.

Town clerk Alan Tawse told councillors that he had spoken to Marlie on the phone  earlier in the day.

“She is delighted and honoured at the prospect of being made an Honorary Freewoman of the town,” he said.

PHOTO - ABOVE: England celebrate winning the Women's Rugby World Cup Final in France.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Marlie Packer is to be made an Honorary Freewoman of Yeovil.

Mr Tawse said he would now look to liaise with Marlie on when she would be available to attend an official ceremony in which to be presented with Honorary Freewoman of the town award.

Marlie will be joining an exclusive and esteemed “club” when she receives her award.

Mr Tawse told the meeting that the late former councillor John Cruddas, who served in Local Government for 37 years and had three terms as Yeovil Mayor, was awarded Honorary Freeman of the town status in 2010 for his civic service. He died the following year at the age of 82.

Previously the council had awarded the Honorary Citizenship of Yeovil award to cricket legend Ian Botham in 1983, Polar explorer Ann Daniels in 2000, and Yeovil Town FC trio Gary Johnson, John Fry and Jon Goddard-Watts in 2003.

Marlie, a former Bucklers Mead and Yeovil College student, began her rugby career as a five-year-old with the Yeovil-based Ivel Barbarians.

She currently plays her club rugby for London side Wasps, while she has been awarded a professional contract by the England RFU since the World Cup victory last month over Canada.

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Marlie and her team-mates since the World Cup and yesterday they were guests of Prime Minister, David Cameron, in a reception at No 10 Downing Street.

“It’s been amazing,” she told the BBC and added that the Prime Minister was “pretty clued-up” on women’s rugby.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Marlie Packer and the rest of the England women's rugby team at Downing Street yesterday (Tuesday, September 9, 2014) along with Prime Minister David Cameron. Photo courtesy of England RFU.

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