JADE Konkel, at present the country’s only contracted female player, will play for Lille Metropole next season under an agreement between the French Top 8 club and Scottish Rugby. The 23-year-old, who turned pro last summer, will remain a member of the BT Sport Academy and will also continue to be available for the national team.

Konkel has played for Hillhead-Jordanhill, one of Scotland’s leading clubs, in recent years. Her move to France, initially for just one season, will ensure that she plays at a higher standard of rugby week in, week out.

“This is a great opportunity for me to develop on and off the pitch in a completely different environment,” she said yesterday. “It’s going to be a massive test for me personally, but I’m really excited about spending the next year in France.

“I went out to Lille before making this decision and liked what I saw. I follow the Top 8 and have played against France Women so have a fair idea of what to expect over there. French players are known for their physicality and they have a philosophy of keeping the ball alive so for me, as a big ball-carrier, I think the move will benefit my game.

“The BT Sport Academy has pushed me over the past two seasons and becoming the first full-time female player in Scotland last summer was a dream come true. I’m grateful to Scottish Rugby and Lille for working together to make this next step possible.”

Lille Metropole Rugby Club villeneuvois, to give Konkel’s new club their full name, were French champions in 2016 and runners-up last season. “Having one of our players sought after by a top French club speaks volumes for our women’s programme and the work that has gone into creating the foundations to develop our elite female athletes,” said Stephen Gemmell, Scottish Rugby’s head of academy and performance programmes.