Vicar writes sermon early so she can watch son play for England

The Rev Olivia Coles will be at Twickenham to support Alex before heading back to church afterwards.

Alex Coles with his arm round his mother, the Reverend Olivia Coles. He is wearing a white T-shirt with the England red rose on the breast. She is wearing a blue jumper and a pink scarf. They are both looking at the camera and smiling.
The Reverend Olivia Coles says watching Alex is "nerve wracking, emotional and fabulous" [Rev Olivia Coles]

A vicar whose son will be playing for England in the Six Nations has prepared her Sunday sermon ahead of the match so she can enjoy watching him in action at Twickenham.

Northampton Saints second row Alex Coles will line up for England as they open their Six Nations campaign against Wales.

The Rev Olivia Coles will head to London to watch the game before returning to administer Holy Communion at St Mary's and St Andrew's, Whittlesford, near Cambridge.

About watching him play, she said: "I'm just so over-excited, over-nervous, running around in circles and, for someone who never stops talking, I'm sometimes speechless. It's just all too exciting, nerve wracking, emotional [and] fabulous."

Alex Cole playing for England. He is wearing a white England rugby kit which is slightly dirty with mud and grass.  He is looking to the side and pointing.
Alex Coles represented England at Under-18s and Under-20s levels before playing for the senior side [Getty Images]

It will be the Cambridge-born 26-year-old's 15th appearance for his country, having made his debut in 2022.

His mother told BBC Radio Northampton that watching him play for England can "take over the whole day".

"I've got to get my sermon written [in advance] so that I can enjoy the match," she said.

Coles played in Cambridgeshire before joining the Northampton Saints academy at 14.

His mother said: "I had no idea that those days I used to drive up and down to Wellingborough [and] Northampton, feeling very sort of 'martyrish' and listening to all this banter and picking up muddy boys, would turn into this sort of surreal thing where I'd be at Twickenham looking down at the pitch, and there's 80,000 people watching, and roaring crowds."

Alex Coles with his arm round his mother, the Reverend Olivia Coles. He is wearing a Northampton Saints rugby top which is green, black and gold. A stand with green seats is to one side of them. They are both looking at the camera and smiling.
The Reverend Olivia Coles says she gets nervous watching her son play [Rev Olivia Coles]

Of her son becoming a professional rugby player, she said: "We were excited for him to give it a go but never realised it would get to this stage."

Coles has played more than 140 games for the Saints and was part of the Premiership-winning team in 2024.

His mother said: "The way Saints are, he loves the team. He loves the whole set-up at Northampton Saints, he loves living there, he's got an amazing group of friends, and I think he's living 'the life'. He really is having an amazing time."

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Category: General Sports