Former England rugby star now working at Worcester Royal A&E

Karen Jones, 43, has won everything there is to win in the women’s game but nowadays she can be found working as an emergency medicine consultant at Worcester’s A&E department, having joined in July.

She is enjoying her work as the hospital prepare to welcome a new, expanded emergency department at the end of 2022.

She said: “I feel lucky to be part of the team at Worcestershire Royal. It’s a challenging time to start somewhere new but I feel very fortunate to work alongside such a lovely, caring medical and nursing team who work so hard and really care about their patients.

“I’ve lived in Worcester for a long time so it’s great to be working at my local hospital, and it’s an exciting time to join with the plans for the new, expanded department in the near future.”

Karen Jones has said it's been a 'challenging' start to life at Worcester's A&E department

Jones completed her medical degree at the University of Oxford, for whom she twice competed in The Boat Race against Cambridge and also captained in the varsity match in 2001.

Upon graduation, Jones took her rugby career to the next level, receiving an England call-up in 2004 following a good spell at her club, Richmond.

Jones featured 32 times for the Red Roses, including a number of times as captain, and was part of a side that won the Women’s Nations Cup in 2008 and three consecutive Six Nations titles from 2008 to 2010.

Karen joined Worcester Ladies in 2009, while working as an emergency medicine registrar, where she served as a player-come-doctor.

She said: “I’ve stitched up lots of my teammates in many different places and there were lots of dislocations I’ve put back in.”

She was named club captain in 2013 and went on to lift the Women’s Premiership title for Worcester before retiring in 2014.

After retirement, Jones took up the role as club doctor for Worcester’s men’s team before joining Gloucester Rugby in 2019 where she works along stars such as Jonny May and Louis Rees-Zammit.

She added: “I do miss playing, but that’s partly why I’ve ended up in men’s sport instead of women’s, as if I was sitting on the side of women’s pitch I’d be too keen to get involved!”