Harriet, the Women’s Premiership Players’ Player of the Year for the second season in 2016/17, first hit the headlines in the 2013 Six Nations tournament when lining up against her sister, Bridget, who was in the Scotland squad.

Stockport-born Harriet was schooled at Bramhall High and Wilmslow Sixth Form College and began playing at Manchester RFC at full back and wing before switching to centre and then to the back row.

She was the Old Mutual Wealth Player of the Match in the Red Roses’ 39-6 win over Canada at Twickenham Stadium in November 2016.

Harriet played in all 12 England matches in 2016, starting 10 of them and won her 40th cap in the 11-try, 63-0 win over Wales at Cardiff this February.

She has now appeared in all of the Red Roses’ past 22 games and won the player of the match accolade when England secured the Grand Slam in Ireland this March.

Harriet studied Sports Technology at Loughborough University and is trained as a maths teacher.

What do you remember about the first time you played rugby?

“I was passing a ball with my dad watching my brothers team play rugby and their coach said ‘does she want to join in?’ so I thought why not.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

“To enjoy what you do and that is in general life too.”

What does it mean to you to play for England?

“It just means so much to everyone in your small circle with your friends and family as they see how much work you do behind the scenes to be the best you can be, so to show it on an international stage is the top place to show it isn’t it?"

What do you love about rugby?

“It’s exactly the same wherever you’re playing. Training wise, you’re training with your mates and whether I’m at Lichfield or with England it is exactly the same game; just one of them has a bit more pressure.”

What drives you to be the best you can be?

“It probably started out that I wanted to be better than my brother at it. You start on that and then you just want to be the best.”

What did it feel like singing the national anthem for the first time?

“I can remember everything leading up to the national anthem and then going on as a sub but I hardly remember anything about it. It was against France, I remember everything about the day and I know that in the national anthem I remember being terrified. Since then I always stand next to Izzy Noel-Smith as she makes you sing so loud that it chills me out.”

How does it feel know you are going to playing at the Women’s Rugby World Cup?

“I’m so excited, I’m counting down the days. I keep ticking off the training sessions and then when we get there I’ll be really excited.”

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

“My family.”

If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s the one thing you would take with you?

“My friends so then at least you’d enjoy it – we could be like our own little Swiss Family Robinson.”

What’s your guilty pleasure?

“Cinnamon and raisin bagels with peanut butter and strawberry jam.”

If you could attend one sporting event, which one would you pick?

“Something with England in the final and then I was thinking rugby but I’d rather be playing in it. In fact, I want to be at the Olympics but like the Super Saturday where there was Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012."

If you could choose three celebrities to do Come Dine With Me, who would you choose?

“Adele as she’s hilarious and she could do a little song, David Attenborough as he’s interesting and Emeline Pankhurst who would be a bit different.”

What is the one thing from home you always take with you on tour?

“I got a Tigger when I was four years old and he used to, because I’m scared of flying, come on the plane with me. I can sleep without him but a game or camp week I bring him as he’s just like a sleeping blanket.”

If you could choose one superpower for the day, what would you pick?

“Teleportation as then I could get around and also go on holiday without flying.”

Source:
http://www.englandrugby.com/news/features/introducing-harriet-millar-mills/#