Former Bishop’s Stortford players Christina and Eva Radukic make debuts for Croatia women’s rugby union team in win over Bulgaria

Two sisters who grew up in Stansted and used to play for Bishop’s Stortford have made their international debuts for Croatia’s women’s rugby team.

Christina and Eva Radukic, whose grandmother was born in Zagreb, donned the country’s red and white colours as they beat hosts Bulgaria 17-10.

It was only the team’s second fixture as the sport is only just starting to grow in the Balkans, although several sevens matches have been played.

And the siblings, whose father Branimir has played at Silver Leys for around 30 years, were delighted to play their part in the sport’s ongoing development in Croatia.

They were called up for the game on November 16 after team coach Petra Druskovic found them on social media.

Christina, 26, went to Bishop’s Stortford College while 24-year-old Eva attended Hockerill Anglo-European College.

Christina first started playing rugby at Stortford in 2020 and her sister, who took up the sport while studying at King’s College London, joined her to feature for the club last season.

The siblings moved from Stansted to the capital, where they share a flat, in the spring and now both play for Belsize Park, although Christina still still trains with her former Stortford colleagues as often as she can.

“Women’s rugby is very small in the Balkans and we’re proud to have been a small part of the growth of the sport in the region,” said Christina. “Fingers crossed for more fixtures!”