Richmond Women’s newly named captain Hannah Field admits she can't wait to get started in the 2019/20 Tyrrells Premier 15s season.

The experienced forward, who has five England test caps to her name, will lead the club into the third edition of the Tyrrells Premier 15s, kicking off this Saturday against Harlequins Women at The Stoop.

The 28-year-old, who started playing rugby at Reading RFC at the age of 13, and has since represented England U20s, England Women and England Women's 7s spoke ahead of the showdown with the west London rivals, a team she also had a short stint withn.

“It’s going to be a very exciting season for Richmond Women and I can’t wait to lead this team and hopefully harness the huge potential we have," she said.

“It’s a huge honour to be named Richmond Women’s captain.

"We have so many brilliant leaders within our squad, so to be named captain is a massive privilege and one that comes with a huge amount of pride.

"The squad has trained extremely hard over the summer, we have developed an exciting new game-plan under Mike Panoho (Head Coach) and we have a number of new players who can’t wait to pull on the Richmond shirt for the first time.”

A versatile and powerful flanker, Field will be a key figure in Richmond’s drive to deliver its highest ever finish in the Premier 15s, and Panaho believes Field is the perfect fit to lead his sicde.

“The choice of captain is always fraught with difficulty; there are normally multiple choices, with a variety of different strengths and leadership qualities. Hannah is a great ambassador for our club, she is a natural leader both on and off the pitch, and also brings a wealth of playing experience, both at club and international level.

“Hannah is positive, honest and displays values that fit perfectly within our club culture. She is a strong communicator and will always challenge any decision or direction that she feels is not in the best interest of the club or our players. Hannah is a force on the pitch and an inspiring example for all Richmond players.”

Richmond Women kick-off their 2019/20 season against Harlequins Women this Saturday 21st September at The Stoop.