Jade Konkel: Harlequins’ ex-Scotland forward to retire

Harlequins Women’s captain Jade Konkel, the former Scotland forward, will end her playing career at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

The 32-year-old – who won 74 caps for her country and played in two Rugby World Cups – joined Quins in 2018 and was made captain in 2023.

The back row made history in 2016 when she became the first woman to sign a professional contract with Scottish Rugby.

Konkel, who has balanced her playing career with a job as a firefighter in London, was named Women’s Player of the Season at Quins in 2022-23 and 2024-25.

She made her Scotland debut as a 19-year-old against England in the 2013 Six Nations and stepped down from international duty, external after the 2025 World Cup.

“When I arrived at Harlequins in 2018, I didn’t come with a plan for how long I’d stay. I came with a love for rugby and a hope that I’d find a place where I could grow,” she said.

“Very quickly, this club became my home: a place that held me through every version of myself over the years and I could never have imagined how much this club would come to mean to me.

“But the season isn’t over yet. This is just my last chapter. I’m here for this season, all in, chasing standards and chasing success with this group. When it’s over, I want to know the tank is well and truly empty.”