Devon Gladiators star targeting spot in England rugby squad after filming BBC show

Exeter Chiefs Women’s wing and Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley has targeted a place in the England 15s squad after hanging up her super-hero outfit and changing back into a rugby kit. Ounsley, who became the first deaf woman to play for a senior England rugby side in 2019, is already an England Sevens international and has set the bar high following her exploits as Fury on the revamped BBC TV show.

The 23-year-old told the PA news agency: “I was straight back into rugby the week after filming finished last summer, but because of my injury I’ve been out. Quite a lot of people thought I’d given up rugby, which is not the case at all. I’m full-time rugby and part-time Gladiator.

“I’d love to do another Gladiators series, but right now it’s all rugby for me. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’d love to be involved with the Red Roses 15s. I’m focused on getting back fit, hopefully getting some game-time in the Premiership with Exeter and then, who knows?”

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The multi-talented Ounsley, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, is a former British jiu-jitsu champion, five-time world junior coal-carrying champion and represented Great Britain at the 2017 Deaf Olympics in the 100m and 200m sprints, aged just 16.

But after scoring a length-of-the-field try with her very first touch in her first rugby match for local club Sandal, she was hooked on the 15-a-side game. Ounsley was included in the England Sevens squad while at first professional club Loughborough Lightning and was snapped up by Sale Sharks in 2020 before joining Exeter Chiefs in 2022.

“There’s so much competition in the Red Roses, especially the back three, so I’m not putting any expectation on it,” she said. “I’m just going to work hard and let’s see what happens. First of all I just want to get back on the pitch and see where I can go with it.”

Ounsley has long blazed a trail for the deaf community and, since starring in Gladiators, her popularity has transcended to a wider audience. She is grateful to her growing fan-base for helping her inspire the next generation of deaf athletes and change the perception of women’s rugby in general.

Ounsley said: “I just love showing young kids you can be a bad-ass rugby player, a bit savage, but also be a nice person and still be feminine. I like to show people that. I always wanted to be successful in sport, whatever that might be. But I never in a million years expected it to turn out how it did.

“In terms of the rugby community and kids now getting into rugby, girls playing it and having that ‘Fury mentality’ of smashing people and stuff... I love it!”

Ounsley is completely deaf in both ears and wears a scrum-cap while playing rugby to protect her cochlear implant. She is a “super-proud” honorary president of UK Deaf Sport and a patron of the Elizabeth Foundation, a charity which helps young deaf children learn to listen and talk.

“Being on Gladiators has meant so much to me, not because it’s on TV, but because we can be good role models to kids,” she said. “We look a bit like super-heroes, so they’re perhaps more susceptible to us setting a good example, but the response has blown me away.”

As tough-tackling Exeter wing or as Fury the Gladiator, Ounsley is playing her part in the drive to raise the profile of women’s sport. “The gap is massive, obviously, and I know there’s a long way to go,” she added.

“We’re sort of indebted to the Lionesses. They’ve taken it to another level. Women’s football is showing the support is there and women’s rugby has stepped it up over the last few years. Women’s sport is certainly becoming a lot more popular. More people are appreciating that there are some super-talented female athletes out there.”