Marlie Packer reflects on “full circle” moment after receiving OBE

Marlie Packer admits her first reaction to the letter informing her she had been awarded an OBE was disbelief.

“I first found out from a letter I got through the post,” she said. “At first I thought someone was having a joke at my expense.”

It was her partner, Rosie Gallagher, who quickly confirmed the news was real and ensured the paperwork was returned on time.

“You had to get the information back by the next day and print everything out. Rosie went straight out and bought a printer, which we probably needed for ages anyway, and sent it all off. Then we just waited.”

For Packer, the honour gives her a feeling of immense pride, but also one she views through the lens of team success.

“It’s a true honour and very special. I never thought I’d get three letters after my name. Deep down you might dream of an MBE one day, but to be awarded an OBE is incredible.

“But rugby is a team sport. We won the World Cup as a squad. So, while it’s amazing to receive an individual honour, I’m very aware that 32 of us achieved that together.”

Packer has a wealth of experience under her belt, being a player whose international career began back in 2008 and has spanned across 7s, 15s and more than a decade of growth in the women’s game.

Looking back, she struggles to label the demands of elite rugby as sacrifices.

“I don’t really see them as sacrifices because it’s what I wanted to do. I love playing for the Red Roses. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be part of that group,” she said.

“Of course, there have been challenges: injuries, time away from friends and family, missing weddings, holidays and milestones. But for Packer, the highs outweigh everything.

“To say you’ve played in a World Cup in England, inspired a nation, and that the nation inspired you back, is really special.”

Her journey has never been linear. After earning her first cap in 2008, Packer experienced a three-year gap from international rugby. During that time, she qualified as a plumber - ensuring she had a trade to fall back on.

“That was massive for me. If rugby was taken away through injury or anything else, I had something there.”

From Under-19s camps in 2006 to lifting the biggest prizes in the sport, the Yeovil-born back row describes receiving her OBE as a “full circle moment”, and how it meant to share the achievement with her grandfather.

“He said, ‘You’d never have thought that the little girl I knew would achieve all of this.’ That was really special.”

As women’s rugby continues its rapid growth, Packer is acutely aware of her status as a role model, though she remains determined to stay authentic.

“I just try to be me. I’m a girl from Yeovil, brought up by a single mum. I’m dyslexic, I wasn’t academic at school. I got pushed into sports courses because that’s what I was good at.

“But anything you put your mind to and work hard for, you can achieve.”

That belief took on even greater meaning during the recent World Cup year. After being told she would no longer captain the Red Roses, Packer faced a fresh challenge.

“You’re in that moment of, ‘If I’m not captain, can I still have an influence?’ It actually took pressure off me. I could still be me and still have an impact.”

Rather than stepping back, she leaned in, driven in part by her son, Oliver.

“If I’d kicked my toys out of the pram and walked away, I wouldn’t have been able to show him that setbacks can make you stronger. He’s my driving force. I want him to see that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. Whether that’s in sport, academically, or whatever he chooses.”

The OBE, she hopes, shines a light not just on her own journey but on the wider women’s game.

“It’s dedication over a long period of time. It might have been highlighted because of the World Cup, but it’s come from years in 7s, 15s, and club rugby.

“The PWR is a phenomenal league - I genuinely think it’s the best in the world. That’s why so many overseas players want to come here. But we’ve got to keep pushing, especially at grassroots level. How do we keep giving back and growing the game?”

If there is a legacy Packer hopes to leave, it is one rooted in resilience, authenticity and contribution.

“This won’t change me. It won’t stop me from giving back to the game.

“I’m incredibly proud. That little girl from Yeovil would never have believed it, but there’s still more to do.”