Player Focus : Isa Prins, Netherlands

The Netherlands are on the rise, as the Oranje fought valiantly for a place in the Women’s Rugby World Cup and are here to challenge for the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship 2025.

A physical side that has a taste of putting up a spectacular team effort, the Netherlands have made serious improvements in the last couple of years packed with some of the best European talent. Isa Prins is one of those rising stars on the Oranje setup and the thumping loose forward shared her dreams and goals in the following interview.

To kick things off, how did rugby find itself in her life?

“My brother started first, and then I followed with a little push from my father. He said, ‘Why don’t you give rugby a go as you are a fan of contact sports like kickboxing and judo?’ and I agreed to go to one practice session. I was 9 at the time and it immediately resonated with me”

Prins explains that being part of a community and team made her decision to stick up with the sport easier.

“I love rugby because it is a team sport. While I enjoyed judo, kickboxing and dancing, I missed belonging to a team and playing with them by my side. That’s why rugby made sense to me from the start. You put your body on the line for each other, which makes the victory even sweeter and defeat harder. You physically and mentally challenge yourself as a team, and that’s why rugby is so special to me.”

Since joining the sport, the loose forward has made a serious effort, ascending as one of the top players at RC Diok. After playing for the Dutch U18s side, she joined the senior setup in 2022.

“If I am not mistaken the first time, I got involved with the Dutch national setup was in 2022. I had previously played for the U18s, and the head coach knew me well, so it made things smoother. It is a moment that you have dreamed of since you were a kid. I was super buzzed when I got that chance and made the opportunity count.”

One year later she would collect her first Test Match cap… in a rather unorthodox way.

“I made my debut in 2023 against Sweden. I came from the bench and was yellow-carded with a few minutes left on the clock. It is a different way to celebrate your first cap. The nerves got the best of me, but we won, and I was happy for the result.”

Since that year, Isa Prins has played in two Women’s Rugby Europe Championships, a competition she deems important for her country.

“Yeah, it is a great competition, and its popularity has grown a lot in the Netherlands. It is a high-level tournament that has paved the way for teams like us, Spain, Sweden and Portugal to get more quality game time. It is important for our development, and I hope it continues to grow.”

Because of her outstanding performances for the Netherlands, Prins got her first big break in 2024 when the Irish club Suttonians Women RFC invited her to join them. She accepted the challenge, without forgetting her forever club, RC Diok.

“I had only played for RC Diok until 2024 when I joined Suttonians Women RFC. I stayed in Dublin for a bit and then the Harlequins signed me to play for the club in the last two months of the season. RC Diok is and will be my forever home. It is a family club with a superb environment that has done everything for me. But I needed the challenge to go abroad and test myself. I needed to up my game.”

However, her time with the Dublin club only lasted until January.

“Me and my best friend sent some emails back in August to a couple of Premiership clubs. Harlequins Head of Rugby replied back and told us that they didn’t have any vacancies, but they would keep our contacts in case something changed. In December they called me, but they opted for another player. One month later, another injury happened, and the club called me again. They told me ‘You have three days to make a decision’ but I only needed one, and the next morning I just said ‘Yes!’, packed my bags and joined the Quins!”

While she admits to being nervous in her first training session, a couple of Rugby Europe rivals made things smoother.

“I was very nervous, as I was practicing alongside some of the best players in the World. But Maja Meuller, Laura Delgado and Claudia Peña-Hidalgo helped me to feel more comfortable. I was a bit all over the place, as I had only arrived three days ago and was just trying to find my footing.”

A week later Prins made her first appearance for the club against one of her role models, Linde van der Velden.

“Oh, I was nervous, happy and excited at the same time for that first game, as I was called for the Exeter Chiefs clash with just one week at the club. I kept thinking ‘Am I ready for this?’ as I was still getting accustomed to the playbook. I was happy with my performance, as I showed to myself that I could cope with the physicality level.”

For those who don’t know her well, Isa Prins always aimed to fully devote herself to rugby, as she clarifies in her own words.

“I always wanted to be a professional rugby player, captain of the Dutch team and be the best player in the World; those were my dreams when I first started. I know it is a tough World of course, but I want to reach for the stars and to challenge myself at every step. My family have supported me on this dream and are always there to give me an extra push when I need it.”

Now, looking back to how the Netherlands, does she think the game is progressing?

“It’s growing so much! I know I am still young, but I already see a lot of changes and improvements. The union and clubs have developed regional youth women’s regional teams which is a great development for us. Superstars like Ilona Maher give the game a big platform and can make a difference in convincing more young girls to join us.”

With our time running out, it is time for a couple of quick questions. What was her favourite game as a Dutch international?

“The WXV3 was a spectacular experience, but the match against Colombia is still my favourite game as a Test Match player. Whoever won would qualify for the WXV3, and Colombia had already been there once, so they had a bit more experience than us. But we worked so hard as a team, did a lot of training camps, poured our soul into it and never turned our backs on the goal. We were nervous, as it was going to be the biggest game of our careers, but we just vibed as a unit. The supporters in the stands were incredible as well, pushed for us non-stop.”