England Rugby Prop Maud Muir Advises Freya Kemp to Embrace Home World Cup Pressure

Delivering for England at a World Cup adds intense pressure, and a home tournament raises expectations even higher.

Red Roses prop Maud Muir rose to the occasion last September. She helped England win the home Rugby World Cup before a record women's rugby crowd of 81,885.

England cricket all-rounder Freya Kemp, preparing for this summer's home T20 World Cup, sought advice from Muir. The prop was surprised by the request.

In a video message, Muir offered her top tip: "Embrace it. Embrace having so many home fans, and be able to have an escape. You are so familiar with where you are that you can go home and relax a bit more."

Muir played a key role for John Mitchell's side during the World Cup. Her strong ball-carrying and scrummaging stood out.

England heads toward an eighth straight Six Nations title. Muir also contributed to Gloucester-Hartpury's three consecutive Premiership Women's Rugby crowns.

Kemp got the chance to ask because Muir, now 24, was a keen cricketer in her youth before becoming one of the world's top front rows.

She structured her year around rugby in winter and cricket in summer. "I eventually had to pick between the two and unfortunately I was not as talented at cricket," Muir said.

"I kind of did cricket as my mum loved it, as she hated watching rugby because she was scared of me getting injured. I was very grateful to play cricket for so many years."

"We were a cricket family. My brother still plays and my dad was part of the Redbacks Cricket Club, which we would go to every summer with family and friends and play cricket."

"I fielded and didn't really bat or bowl. I would sometimes wicket-keep. I was throwing myself around the cricket field."

Muir smiled discussing her fielding. England forwards call swatting aside defenders "boshing," though she prefers "to bosh."

"It is running into someone and boshing them, or tackling them and boshing them," she said.

Quiet and humble off the field, the former Wasps front row thrives on physical confrontation during games. She calls herself too aggressive for a cricket return.

One day, Muir hopes to build a pottery room at home with a wheel and kiln, an oven for hardening pottery.

She leads from the front on the team bus too, with "Maud's Tours" now a regular feature.

"It started last Six Nations in York. I am at the front of the bus as my little mate Lucy Packer gets travel sick," she explained. "I am always at the front and the mic is always there. I started with the tour of York and it has stuck since. I do forget every week that I am doing it."

"It is last minute, trying to get as many facts as I can. True or false. They could be false as Meg Jones likes to send me some stuff."

The next stop is Parma, which Italy hosts for Saturday's match against the world champions. Muir has yet to research it.

England tops the Six Nations table with three bonus-point wins over Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The 84-7 victory over Scotland marked Muir's 50th cap. Her father wore a kilt and an England top. "It was such a special occasion. Being at Murrayfield in Scotland made it so special for my family, especially my dad," she said.

"I have photograph evidence. He is in my scrapbook. He had the best of both worlds. He is 77% Scottish."

Before Saturday's game, which could lead to a fifth straight Grand Slam decider against France, Muir plans a visit to a local pottery center to make a ramen bowl.

She will likely bowl Italian defenders aside soon after.