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5 Aug 2025
After enjoying the Women’s Football Euros in July this year, could women’s touch rugby become as popular? Naomi Fearnett, who plays for the England team, certainly hopes so. Last year, in the sport’s World Cup, England won bronze (defeating Japan in a thrilling third place play-off) and the team are hoping to continue to build on this momentum at the next World Cup in three years’ time.
Women’s touch rugby is still an amateur sport, which means that Naomi has to earn a living elsewhere, in her case as head of early careers for Knight Frank, the real estate company. “Maybe one day, I will be able to do sport professionally. That is the dream, but in the meantime, I have to earn a living in other ways,” Naomi says.
Growing up in Australia, Naomi played pretty much every sport going (no surprise there!). However, she particularly took to touch rugby, which combines supreme athleticism with tactical play.
For those who don’t know, touch rugby involves two teams of six on a 70m x 50m pitch. The “touch” serves the tackle after which the team with the ball passes it back and the running continues. The aim is to score a try before the players are touched six times. There is no kicking. Speed is of the essence, and the tactics comes in by switching play and trying to wrongfoot the other side. Each game lasts 40 minutes, divided into two halves of 20 minutes. There is a lot of running!
Naomi has a concerted training regime, all year-round, although the matches are mostly played in the summer months. She will get up at 6.30 and do an hour’s fitness before work. Weekends are given over to full-time training or to matches. As well as representing England, Naomi plays for club and regional teams.
Naomi read history and psychology at university in Sydney. She found herself working in the area of human relations and recruitment almost by accident, but found that she enjoys it. Steering people into careers and advancing them in ways they wish, she finds very satisfying.
She moved to London eight years ago when she was 24. Her father is English so there was no issue of getting a visa to live and work. She was then working for PwC who arranged a transfer to its London office. While in London, she met her partner and, after several year, they decided to see what life was like in Australia.
Working alongside experts in the field brings out the best in you - not dissimilar to playing with the best in your sport!
Naomi Fearnett
That is where she found a job with HSF Kramer. Her mother, who was then chief executive of a breast cancer charity, spoke highly of the firm, which had provided some pro bono advice. Naomi joined in November 2023, as early careers recruitment manager. The firm was much to her liking. “I knew HSF [Kramer] was a top-tier firm in Australia and had a global presence, which appealed to me. There was a well-established graduate programme,” she says.
“Added to that, I was surrounded by intelligent, high-performing like-minded people, but, at the same time, very supportive and collaborative. Working alongside experts in the field brings out the best in you - not dissimilar to playing with the best in your sport!”
She would happily have stayed on, but in early 2025, she and her partner came to the difficult decision that they ultimately saw themselves settling in London and relocated back. There was no job opening for HSF Kramer in London, so Naomi managed to secure a good role with Knight Frank, enjoying learning about the real estate world and driving the strategy, recruitment and development of early carers talent at Knight Frank, heading a team of three.
Working with young people suits her well. “It is fascinating to watch the generational change that we are witnessing. It may be obvious to say but young people have different skills and have their own perspectives on life and work. They are the future, so it is rewarding to help them as they go about building their careers. These days, of course, people chop and change jobs much more and while before this was frowned on, nowadays that approach is, if not completely accepted, certainly applauded.”
As someone who is an expert in career development, what has Naomi learned from her own career and what, if anything, would she have done differently? She is frank in her answer: “I’d try not to put so much pressure on myself to have everything figured out. There’s a lot of pressure on young people to have a clear plan or definitive career path, but, in reality, careers are rarely linear and some of the most rewarding and exciting opportunities can come from expected places.
“If I could go back, I’d tell myself to trust the process and stop comparing myself to others. Everyone’s path looks different. Things have a way of working out when you work hard, stay curious and keep an open mind. I’ve also learned the value of seeking out mentors who believe in you, stretch you and help you realise your potential.”
There is an upcoming Six Nations championship in August, and Naomi is focused on the next World Cup in three years’ time. Australia and New Zealand are, at least at the moment, the strongest nations. Plenty of time to train and prepare to help overturn that.
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