World Cup couple Holly Aitchinson and Hannah Botterman have revealed they fell love with each other in college, before 'fate' reunited their relationship after being selected for England. Both Aitchinson and Botterman were selected to represent England at this year's World Cup in New Zealand.
But their relationship began long before their international call-ups having first met at college back in 2015. The pair both attended Hartpury College and formed a relationship, before splitting a year later after Aitchison 'struggled to come to terms with her sexuality'.
The pair were then reunited after Aitchison joined Saracens in 2020, before both being selected in Simon Middleton's Red Roses squad.
Ahead of this weekend's World Cup final with hosts New Zealand, the pair have opened up on their rekindled relationship having been together for two years. Discussing their romance, 25-year-old Holly told the Daily Mail: "We kept drifting apart and then meeting again. That was how it was the whole time."
Speaking about the struggles with her sexuality as a teenager, she went on: "There was a lot of me that didn’t want to be with a girl. I guess I just needed some time to process what I wanted to do.
"Now I’m definitely more comfortable than I was. It was probably a bigger thing for me at 17 than it is now sat here at 25. Also opening up, Botterman told Inside Line podcast: It’s a long, long story. It’s not just we met and we fell in love.
"We met, we fell in love, and then broken heart. Holly probably had some demons she had to face and I’m quite proud of her for going through that side of her life. I don’t think it was particularly easy for her."
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Aitchinson added: "I joke about Hannah forcing fate. I think it’s funny. We kept drifting apart and then meeting again. That was how it was the whole time. It’s crazy when you think about how many things had to go right for us both to be in those positions.
"A lot of things had to fit together. It’s quite funny when you look back on it. There were always different situations where we wouldn’t expect to see each other but would." Aitchinson is set to feature in this weekend's finale, with partner Botterman forced to cheer from the sidelines after picking up an injury earlier in the tournament.
