Robinson seizing every opportunity as Chiefs prepare for Play-Offs

Opportunities in professional sport can be few and far between but Flo Robinson grasped hers with both hands during the recent Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Mo Hunt's Championship-ending leg injury against Ireland opened the door for the Exeter Chiefs scrum-half, with Robinson featuring in the off the bench in the remaining four fixtures as England became the first team to win a World Cup and Six Nations back-to-back.

It was the 24-year-old's first sustained run in John Mitchell’s outfit, replacing starting number nine Lucy Packer on all four occasions, and she was delighted to play a key role in England’s eighth-consecutive Six Nations title.

“Everyone in the camp was aware that no team had ever won a Grand Slam after winning a World Cup,” said Robinson.

“That became a big aim for the group, to create that history and be the first team to do that. That made it a little bit more special compared to previous years because it was something that hadn’t been done before.

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“It was really cool to contribute to that. I’d been involved in the Six Nations last year, but I didn’t really play very much, so it was very nice to actually get on the pitch and contribute more than I had previously. It was very enjoyable.”

Robinson made her Red Roses debut in the 2025 Six Nations when she replaced Packer for 14 minutes against Italy in Round 1.

The return of Hunt for that tournament saw Robinson subsequently miss out thereafter, but with the double World Cup winner closer to the end of her illustrious career than the start, the future for England at scrum-half appears to be a shootout between Exeter’s vice-captain and Packer.

“Me and Lucy get on really well, so it’s funny competing with someone you’re friends with, but I think that actually helps the competition,” continued Robinson.

“If we’re unsure about something in training, we’ll speak to each other and help each other out.

“Lucy is out-and-out rapid. I really enjoy watching her because her speed of ball is unreal and she’s a real facilitator of the game.

“The thing I’d say I probably bring more to the table than the other scrum-halves is that I really enjoy defence. The physicality side of rugby is something I enjoy a lot and it’s not necessarily something most scrum-halves naturally have.”

Robinson was in line to win her first England cap in 2021 during a Test against France in Lille, but the match was ended prematurely after the floodlights failed in the 63rd minute without the then-19-year-old being able to make it onto the pitch.

“It was my first year in the Premiership, I was a fresher at university, and I didn’t expect to be called up,” she explained.

“It was good to be in camp and to learn, but that whole experience feels like it didn’t really happen. It was very strange going to the stadium and then the lights going out.

“So, in my head, it kind of isn’t a thing and I’ve sort of blocked it out because it was so strange.”

Robinson moved to Harlequins for the 2023/24 Premiership Women’s Rugby season, joining up with her sister Emily, after securing a place at King's College London to study a masters in immunology.

The switch was borne out of Robinson’s concern about not being able to make a living without being in the England set-up, and she chose to prioritise life away from rugby.

But making the sport she loved play second fiddle wasn’t something that lasted long.

“I knew I needed a career and to be able to make money,” said Robinson, who was teammates with Packer during her time in south-west London.

“But then as soon as I went to Quins, I enjoyed the club and the team was really nice, but putting rugby on the back seat, I didn’t enjoy that at all.

“I realised that in ten years’ time I’d regret not giving rugby a proper go. That’s why I then came back to Exeter, to be able to play more and really put my name forward for England.”

Now an integral part of Exeter’s set-up, shown by her promotion to vice-captain, Robinson is relishing being in the play-offs once again after missing out with the club following a fifth-place finish last term, with a win against Bristol Bears this weekend enough to secure third place.

Robinson said: “To be in the playoffs is really important. Last year was really frustrating for a lot of people, and we didn’t really hit the mark of where we expected ourselves to be. Throughout the season it’s been a very clear goal of ours.

“Coming back after the break and thinking, ‘right, now we’ve got two games and then a semi-final away at the StoneX most likely,’ it’s an exciting prospect.

Away from the pitch, Robinson lives with her sister, who captains her at Exeter, and she revealed how the pair have an exciting new project they’re about to undertake.

She added: “My sister is a carpenter, so we’ve just bought a house that’s very much a fixer-upper and we’re going to fix that up on the side.

“Manual labour is what I’m in charge of, and the garden too! But just like on the pitch, Emily will tell me what to do.

“My dad is a classic dad. He can do all the plumbing and electrics, so he’s going to teach me how to do that, so hopefully I’ll be able to pick some new skills up. The aim is to then sell it and make a bit of money.”