Edinburgh-born Borderer, Chloe Rollie is the second of three Scots women International players to be offered a Professional contract, initially for one year, with French Top 8 rugby side, Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois (LMRCV). And, like her compatriots, Jade Konkel and Lisa Thomson, at the same time, she became a full-time Stage 3 player in the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy.
Debuting for the National side in 2015 at outside centre and then moving to full-back, 22-year old Rollie has gone on to make the jersey her property and was player of the match twice during the 2017 Six Nations campaign, in the process scoring two tries against Italy.
As with Jade Konkel’s interview, Chloe’s will be presented ‘as is’ in respect of the time she has taken to compile her contribution.
If we could have a few words about Chloe Rollie, the person.
I grew up in Jedburgh and attended Parkside Primary school and Jedburgh Grammar. I then went on to study sport and exercise at Borders College followed by working for an excavation company as a labourer and then a dump truck driver. During this time, I played rugby for Melrose Ladies RFC.
I caught the travelling bug and left the excavation company and took a break from rugby to explore Australia. Returned early to get my first cap for Scotland, moved to Edinburgh and Murrayfield Wanderers and then attended Edinburgh College to study Sports Therapy. I now live in France and play for LMRCV.
Being brought up in the Borders, did you really have a choice of which sport you would end up playing?
Even though I grew up in a region revolved around rugby, I did have the choice of sport I played. From the age of 6, I was playing football first with boys at Jed Legion FC and then I joined rugby and played alongside boys at the age of 8 to 11 at Jedburgh mini rugby. This was mainly due to the fact that my older brother played rugby and I would watch him and also because my dad is a big fan, but, maybe also the fact that I have three older brothers I was used to the rough and tumble.
I played the two sports at the same time, sometimes playing football on Saturday and then playing rugby on the Sunday. When I was 13 I joined Gala U15s RFC and played for Gala Fairydean Ladies. When I was 15 I decided to stop playing rugby and solely focused on football where I joined Hearts Ladies FC and played a few seasons. I loved football but the contact side of it just wasn’t the same and I missed it, I also thought I would strive more in rugby so I left Hearts and went back to rugby where I joined Melrose Ladies RFC and played 3 seasons before moving to the city and signing for Murrayfield Wanderers. Throughout that whole period I was also a sprinter at Jedforest Athletics and raced motocross bikes.
I’ve always loved sports but rugby was always what I enjoyed the most.
Image of Chloe playing for Murrayfield Wanderers courtesy of Rugby People
