Leia Brebner-Holden Explained

Leia Brebner-Holden (born 26 May 2002), is an English born Scottish rugby union player who often plays Scrum-half. She plays for Gloucester-Hartpury in Premiership Women's Rugby, Cheltenham Tigers Women in the English second division, as well as the Scotland national team.

Biography

Born in Taunton, Somerset to an English father and a Scottish mother, Brebner-Holden began playing rugby union in the United Arab Emirates, with the Al Ain Amblers club age 9 she also played for the UAE Sand Cats.^[1] When she returned to the UK, she earned rugby scholarships with Hartpury College and University. She then went on to join Gloucester-Hartpury where she was duel-registered with local second division club Cheltenham Tigers Women.^[2]

She was selected for the 2024 Six Nations by Scotland team, where head coach Bryan Easson considered her to be "the 24th/25th player in the team", on the doorstep of the selection.^{[3] [4]} During the summer of 2024, she played with the Scottish Under-20 team at the Six Nations Summer Series in Italy.^[5] She was named in the squad for the 2024 WXV 2 tournament.^[6] Brebner-Holden won her first cap in a warm-up match against Wales^[7] and made her first starting XV appearance in Scotland's last game of the tournament proper against Australia.^{[8] [9]}

In October 2024, she joined Loughborough Lightning.^[10]

External links

• Scottish Player Profile

Notes and References

1. Web site: Leia Brebner-Holden . Scottish Rugby . 4 October 2024 . 4 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241004230507/https://scottishrugby.org/teams/scotland-women/22868/ . live .
2. Web site: Halliwell . Mark . Gloucester-Hartpury surge to top after sinking Sale - women's rugby round-up . Gloucestershire Live . 4 October 2024 . en . 22 February 2024 . 17 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240417065239/https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/gloucester-hartpury-surge-top-after-9117107 . live .
3. Web site: Scotland Women's Six Nations squad 2024 - Smith in at 15 . Rugby World . 4 October 2024 . 25 April 2024 . 4 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241004230508/https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/rugby-six-nations/scotland-womens-six-nations-squad-123442 . live .
4. Web site: Heatly . Gary . Scotland women and the 14 month journey – the Wales week: Young backs Brebner-Holden and Scott backed to take chance if it comes off the bench – GH Media. . GH Media . 4 October 2024 . 5 September 2024 . 4 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241004230510/https://gh-media.co.uk/blog/scotland-women-and-the-14-month-journey-the-wales-week-young-backs-brebner-holden-and-scott-backed-to-take-chance-if-it-comes-off-the-bench/ . live .
5. Web site: Gunderson and Brebner-Holden return for final Summer Series match against Ireland . Scottish Rugby . 4 October 2024 . 12 July 2024 . 12 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712200624/https://scottishrugby.org/gunderson-and-brebner-holden-return-for-final-summer-series-match-against-ireland/ . live .
6. Web site: Scotland squad named for WXV 2 competition . Scottish Rugby . 4 October 2024 . 27 August 2024 . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240917133915/https://scottishrugby.org/scotland-squad-named-for-wxv-2-competition-2/ . live .
7. Web site: Leia Brebner-Holden: Scotland debut against Wales 'unbelievable' for scrum-half . BBC Sport . 4 October 2024 . 7 September 2024 . 4 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241004230657/https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/c8dp362qqd3o . live .
8. Web site: Brebner-Holden starts for Scots in Aussie decider. 10 October 2024 . BBC Sport. 14 October 2024.
9. Web site: Brebner-Holden set to make first start against Australia. 10 October 2024 . Scottish Rugby. 14 October 2024.
10. Web site: News // Lightning sign Scotland scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden . Northampton Saints . Loughborough Lightning . 21 October 2024 . 21 October 2024.