A few months ago Shaunagh Brown was playing in the World Cup Final. Now she is beginning a new chapter in her eclectic sporting life as a coach in the Cayman Islands.
Brown has also been a Commonwealth Games hammer thrower, a commercial diver, a gas engineer and a firefighter, in a fascinating career to date.
Her arrival in Cayman on a four-month coaching contract is another step forward in the push to grow women’s rugby on the island.
Brown recently retired from professional rugby after playing in the Women’s Rugby World Cup finals this past November, where England lost 31-34 to New Zealand.
With her competitive career behind her, Brown is looking to help shape the women’s rugby scene here.
“I was coming to the end of my playing career and it was about what I wanted to do next,” Brown told the Cayman Compass. “Mercedes Foy contacted me a few months ago and basically said there is an opportunity here.”
Foy has been at the centre of rebuilding women’s rugby on Island since joining Cayman Rugby as the women’s manager back in July 2021.
The two both played for England and now will work hand-in-hand again, but this time for the success of young Caymanians, who Brown said will be her priority whilst here.
“The goal is to get more locals playing rugby,” she said.
Brown, who is mixed race – her father is Jamaican and mother English – said it’s clear that the current state of rugby on the island is heavily dominated by white expats.
However, she plans to introduce those to the sport with aspirations of joining rugby but are afraid to take the step because of social misconceptions.
“Sometimes on the rugby pitch you will see people that don’t look like you, don’t sound like you or even act like you, but we are letting them know that rugby can be for you,” she said. “There’s many times that I felt like an alien in the UK.
“I have spoken with the club and we’re strong about wanting to get into those government schools. Getting into the schools where there are people who are like me.”
Since joining, Brown has taken over the under-18 squad, something she said has been going well.
“Some of these girls have been playing rugby for a few years…[but] I could teach them some new things and some of them have said it’s… renewed their love for rugby,” she said, adding, “sometimes it’s just a different voice. I am saying some of the same things… So, it’s the same message, using different words, and that can help.”
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