Kathy Jenn

Jenn was born in Horsham, West Sussex, and was raised in Crawley in a family closely associated with rugby union.^[3] Her father, David Jenn, served as chairman of Crawley Rugby Club, while her mother, Jill Jenn (née Marshall), played rugby and was later described as a founding figure in the development of the club’s women’s team.^[3][4] All four Jenn children were involved in rugby. Her sisters Sarah and Joanne both played for Crawley, while her brother Andrew played at youth level.^[3] Contemporary local coverage highlighted the Jenn family as an unusual example of multiple women players emerging from the same household.^[3]

Jenn attended Hazelwick School and began playing rugby at the age of 16.^[1]

Jenn began playing for Crawley Women’s Rugby Club as a teenager, appearing in local match reports by 1989.^[5] By 1990 she was an established member of the side, playing primarily as a flanker and scoring tries from the back row.^[6] Her performances led to selection for regional representative rugby, including training squads for the London and South East team.^[7]

Jenn progressed into the England set-up in the early 1990s and represented England in a four-team international tournament in Toronto in 1993, where the side finished as winners.^[8][9] By 1994 she had established herself in the senior England team as a flanker, winning three caps and being described as an England regular.^[1][10]

She was part of the England squad during the 1994 season, when the team won the Women’s World Championship in Edinburgh, later recognised as the 1994 Women's Rugby World Cup.^[1][3] She played in matches against Russia, Scotland and Canada.^[11][12]

In addition to her international career, Jenn was selected for invitational representative rugby, including appearances for the Nomads XV.^[13]

By the mid-1990s Jenn was playing for Richmond Women, one of the leading clubs in England having moved from Crawley.^[10] She played in major domestic fixtures, including Richmond’s run to the National Cup in 1996, where she contributed both defensively and in attack, including scoring in a cup quarter-final.^[14][15][16] In 1997 she appeared for Richmond against Crawley, facing her sister Sarah in a competitive fixture.^[17]

Jenn was primarily a flanker, although early in her career she also appeared in the backs.^[6][1] Contemporary reports described her as a committed and physical player, noted for her tackling, work rate and effectiveness both in defence and support play.^[3][14]

Jenn was featured in a Daily Express profile following England’s 1994 world title^[1] and in 1996 she appeared on ITV’s On Your Marks, hosted by Kriss Akabusi, promoting rugby in the south of England.^[18]

Alongside her rugby career, Jenn worked for Crawley Borough Council in housing and homelessness services.^[1][2]

Following her marriage in 2001, she has been known as Kathy Garson.^[19] She and her husband have four children.^[20] In later years she has remained associated with rugby at community level and has appeared at club events as a former England international.^[21]