England Rugby Star's Second Drink-Drive Collision

An England women’s rugby star has been banned from the roads for her second drink-drive smash - this time while nearly twice the limit.

Marlie Packer, 29, a Word Cup winner in 2014 swerved onto the wrong side of the road and hit an oncoming vehicle while driving home from a boozy bash.

The loose forward, who plays in north London for Southgate’s Saracens was disqualified from driving for 17 months and fined £461, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £46 victim surcharge.

Packer of Heritage House, London Road, Twickenham, pleaded guilty to driving her red Mercedes Benz work van in Kew Road, Richmond-upon-Thames on September 1.

She was behind the wheel of a HomeServeUK van, who support and sponsor her, with 67 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

Employed as a plumber, the 51-cap international will now lose her job, Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Mr. Chidi Ikwuakolam said it was 10.36pm when police were called to the scene of a collision.

“A HomeServe vehicle had veered into the opposite carriageway, where it struck an oncoming vehicle.”

In 2007 Yeovil-born Packer was convicted of drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident.

“The Crown say the offence is aggravated by the accident,” added Mr. Ikwuakolam.

Mark Haslam, defending, said of the former Bristol, Wasps and Bath player: “She had been to a social function and was driving the short distance home.

“A car pulled out at a junction, forcing her to swerve out of the way and into the oncoming lane.

“It was a fundamentally flawed decision to drive.

“She checked to see if the other driver and their passenger were okay and fortunately they were and admitted to the police she was driving.

“I have spoken to her employer and the harsh reality is because of the nature of her job requiring her to drive, that driving without a license is not an employable person as far as they are concerned.

“An internal disciplinary hearing will follow.

“The length of the disqualification will prove fatal to her job and will impact her financial position.

“In the next few days she will be unemployed and is concerned it will effect her and her partner’s ability to pay their rent.

“It is clear she is a capable member of society and very talented in her own sphere and capable of contributing to society.

"The first time was a long time ago when she was much younger, but of course she should have learned from that.”