Sophie Omar Shams has been playing rugby since she was four years old and it fills her with as much joy now as it did then. “I train every day, whether that’s strength-conditioning, skills sessions or coaching younger players. What appeals to me about rugby is its tactical aspect and the importance of relying on your teammates to be successful.”

Despite only being 17 years old, Sophie has already represented the Middle East “at a senior level in the Mixed Team for the Touch Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2015” and currently plays senior level ladies rugby for the Heartbeat Tigers.

Though she’s found great success, there were hurdles to overcome on her journey. “Being the only girl in a boys’ team, I had to deal with discrimination from the opposition. This didn’t scare me, in fact, it made me more determined to play to the best of my ability.”