Linde van der Velden

Dutch national captain van der Velden has led from the front since arriving from Toulouse last summer, scoring the club’s first-ever Allianz Premier 15s try against Gloucester-Hartpury in the opening round of the 2020-21 season.

Having started playing rugby at 17, van der Velden’s career has gone from strength to strength in both XVs and sevens. She made her international debuts just four years after starting to play the sport, highlighting her natural talent.

Competent in both forms of the game, she scored her first World Series try for the Netherlands at the Langford 7s in 2017 and was also named Dutch Player of the Year for 2019.

More recently, van der Velden helped the Netherlands gain qualification for the 2024's WXV3 tournament to battle it our for Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification.

In Chiefs colours, she has led from the front, both on and off the field, having captaining the side in their debut Premier15s season. van der Velden collected her 50th cap in the 2023/24 season.

Away from the field, van der Velden is combining her playing with a day job as an assistant architect at construction consultancy firm, Bailey Partnership, and helping the Chiefs marketing team.

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