THERE are those who live lives that barely skim life’s surface, and there are those who hurl themselves so far into life that they dazzle and shine with the delight of it all.

Linda Uttley, the England and Lionesses rugby player, whose gloriously colourful reputation snaked far beyond the boundaries of the clubs she played for and into the game’s folklore, was one of life’s dazzlers. She passed away peacefully on Friday 27th November at Princess Alice Hospice in Esher aged 43-years-old. She was the youngest of eight siblings.

Linda was a huge character in the women’s game. She began her career at Teddington Rugby Club on the advice of her hairdresser. How wise the hairdresser turned out to be. From her fledgling beginnings at Teddington in 1989, Linda grew into one of the finest players of her generation.

From Teddington Linda moved to Wasps Rugby Club in 1995 where she became one of their most valuable players, helping them to Cup victories and league triumphs in a team which dominated the women’s game. It wasn’t long before the international selectors came calling, and in 1997 Linda won her first international cap and began a magical career for England that would see her win 13 caps, playing in the 1998 World Cup squad and in 1999 finishing her international career at the European Cup. She also played for the Classic Lionesses in Bermuda in 2000.

Few in the game expressed the spirit of rugby as keenly as Linda. She was the living, breathing embodiment of the sport. The tales of her conduct away from the field are as stunning as her reputation on it...such as the memorable sumo wrestling match when she was on tour to Paris, in 1992 in which she beat all-comers, of both sexes.

It was in November 2007, 10 years after her first England cap, that she was told that she had a rare, aggressive and advanced form of cancer called Leiomyosarcoma. She was warned that it was ‘end stage’, and that little could be done to help. The most pessimistic prediction was that she had only a few months to live, the best predictions were not much better. The rugby community rushed quickly to her side, and a huge dinner was held in her honour, to raise funds to help her cope with the illness. In the end she defied all the medical predictions that were thrown at her, and was still dancing a year later.

The tales of her first year of illness have become as legendary as the stories about her antics as an England and Lions rugby player. She’d whip her wig off and dance the night away, eking every last moment of joy out of the broken years before her.She remained a regular on the touchlines at Teddington, continued to work for the Rugby Football Union and even toured with the England Lionesses.

Her spirit was never broken and her thirst for fun remained undiminished by the cruel illness growing inside her.

Linda fought hard to battle against the disease, bearing its devastating effects on her body with great humour, fortitude and bravery, but despite her incalculable mental strength, her body grew weaker and weaker and it eventually succumbed to the cancer that she fought so bravely and for so long.

In last few days of her life, which saw her drift in and out of consciousness, she remained as dignified, brave and beautiful as ever.

Linda Uttley, England women’s rugby player, was born on 26thOctober, 1966. She died on November 27, 2009, aged 43.

Obituary written by Alison Kervin. Full details of Linda's funeral will follow