Kirkbymoorside's Tatyana Heard stars in England's Six Nations campaign

Having not scored a try in an England shirt until the competition, the former Malton & Norton junior had crossed the whitewash in every match thereafter until Saturday’s decider against France.

Heard, 28, has seen her England career blighted by injury thus far, suffering three anterior cruciate ligament injuries before returning to international duty for last year’s Rugby World Cup.

She played in four of the Red Roses’ matches in New Zealand, earning the Player of the Match in their 59-3 thrashing of Wales.

Kirkbymoorside's Tatyana Heard in action in England's 38-33 win against France on Saturday. (Image: Andrew Matthews)

But now the centre is back better than ever, with her latest score against Ireland, in which she profited from a quick-thinking offload to burst forward down the left edge unchallenged, winning the Six Nations’ try of the week.

Heard, who grew up in Kirkbymoorside, hopes that her profile can help to increase the sport in North Yorkshire, and looks back on her time with Malton & Norton with fond memories.

Read more about Tatyana's career so far:

• Former Malton and Norton team member Heard wins player of the match in her World Cup debut
• England rugby player Tatyana Heard given freedom of Kirkbymoorside

Speaking to The Guardian, she said: “We used to have to drag a few girls across from Scarborough.

“We used to play mostly friendlies, but now the club has a girls’ and women’s team. It’s really grown. A few of them came to watch the Scotland game and brought me a scrunchie.”

“In my brother’s rugby team growing up, if you went to a private school you’d get better access to rugby.

“We didn’t go to private schools, we were in state ones, so he didn’t have that access, he just happened to be really good at it. All the boys from private schools would get in on the pathway.

“If you don’t have access to great sport, you’re not going to have the opportunity to excel at it. [Gloucester] Hartpury gave me that opportunity.

“If I’d stayed at home, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”