Eboni Partington caps four year performance pathway journey with try scoring debut

Eboni Partington has become the latest England Rugby League DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) athlete to demonstrate the success of the performance pathway, after making her senior debut in Saturday’s mid season international victory over France at Warrington.

Eboni was a selected into the very first cohort of players when the now current England Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, launched the DiSE programme in 2019. Since graduating from the programme in 2021, she has excelled at her club side St Helens, scoring two try’s in the 2022 Challenge Cup final victory over Leeds Rhinos at Elland Road. Eboni has also enjoyed national recognition, after initially gaining selection into the 2022 England Students squad, she was then selected into the inaugural England Knights squad.  Eboni appeared for the Knights in a World Cup warm up fixture against the Cook Islands at fullback. Due to her impressive display, she was brought into the England performance squad and consequently appeared as heritage number 96, debuting on the wing against France. Eboni produced a solid display over the 80 minutes, helping herself to a try in the convincing 64-0 win. Highlights of Saturday’s Mid-Season International can be found here.

 Eboni #96, joins Keara Bennett #90, as the second player to excel through from DiSE, to the top of the performance pathway.

The Rugby Football League’s DiSE Manager, Conor Meese, says: “We’re delighted to see another player excel through our Performance Pathway and achieve their senior heritage number. We knew Eboni had the potential back in 2019 and we are thrilled to see her fulfil that at senior national level. I have great confidence that she will experience a long and successful career in both Women’s Super League and an England Jersey. With a further 6 DiSE players appearing in the 2022 England Knights team that faced the Cook Islands, hopefully it is not too long before until we see some more faces make the jump to the senior squad.

DiSE is the first step on the England Performance Pathway, a national programme for year 12 and 13 girls who have the potential to play at the highest level of the game – representing England Rugby League with the newly-formed female Knights or the Women’s senior team.

 To enhance the experience and to further aid player development, the DiSE programme is seeking a programme sponsor to help fund regular overseas competition. Please direct any interest to; The Rugby Football League’s DiSE manager, Conor Meese on Conor.Meese@rfl.co.uk.