The former Howell’s School, Llandaff, pupil won three soccer Blues as a goalkeeper before turning her hand to the dark arts of the front row. Twelve weeks after taking up rugby she made her Twickenham debut in the 2019 game against Oxford.
She made such an impression at loose head prop on that day, both as a ball carrier and line-out thrower, that she eventually made the Wales Women training squad by the back end of her first season.
Work commitments have made life difficult for her to pursue a rugby career away from Cambridge, but all that could change dramatically next season when she starts work as a junior doctor in Birmingham.
“I’ve picked an area in which to work that is close to some good rugby clubs and I’d love to progress my playing career further at a Premier 15s club if possible,” said the 23-year-old Bleehen.
“Working life as a junior doctor isn’t easy, but I’d like to get the chance to progress my rugby as well as my career.”
For today, at least, everything will be about leading the Light Blues into action at the home of English rugby on the day the men’s Varsity Match marks its 150th anniversary. In her last game in Cambridge colours she is hoping to go out on the highest of highs by leading her team to a record fifth win in a row over the Dark Blues.
Her side had to wait for their seventh game of the season before tasting victory – a 15-0 home win over Oxford! They won four more games after that and Bleehen believes the battling victory at Loughborough in the BUCS Vase quarter-final was a turning point in the Light Blues season.
“We went toe-to-toe with them for 100 minutes and were strong enough to come out on top 24-19. And we did it at their place as well,” said Bleehen.
“I was so proud of that performance and I’m hoping it will stick in the memories of all the Cambridge players. I think we’ve got as strong a pack as ever and our back division has shown it can be pretty lethal given the chance.
“We’ve got two great centres in Laura Vass and Tabby Brough and the plan is to give them enough ball to set Twickenham alight. I’ve been pretty confident ever since the day we get Oxford in the BUCS Premier (South) league that we can go to Twickenham and pull off another win.
“We’ve got 12 returning Blues and none of us wants to see the four-match winning sequence end – especially not on our return to Twickenham.”
Joining Bleehen, a winner in the 2019 and 2021 Varsity Matches, in the Cambridge side will be Pencoed CS scrum half Millie Bushrod. She also tasted victory in 2021.
The Cambridge men will be led into the Varsity Match for the third year in a row by former Scarlets and Wales U16 star Stepehen Leonard. The ex-Llandovery College pupil will be deputising for injured skipper Charlie Watson and will become only the second player in the 150-year history of the fixture to captain a team three times.
