Flo Robinson on hitting the 100
Published on: 08/06/2026
Flo Robinson became our fourth centurion when she ran out at Sandy Park against Sale Sharks yesterday. In the wake of Poppy Leitch, Ebony Jefferies and Merryn Elworthy’s 100th games, Robinson was the first to reach the milestone with a period of absence from the club. She is now firmly ensconced back at Sandy Park with an eye on the 2025/26 season progression games.
“We are going out there to win it [the league]. I don't think there's any point in not having that in your sights…and we are capable of it. We have a really, really good team. This year, we've been a bit up and down, but there have been a fair few games where we have showed what we're capable of.”
We love this ambition from Robinson. It is indicative of the never-take-a-backward-step attitude we have got used to seeing from this scrum-half and a far cry from the shy little girl who would let her big sister Emily do all the talking for her in public places.
So much so, we have now seen her get her long-awaited run in a Red Roses shirt in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations. Sure, Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt’s injury gave her the opportunity, but she made the most of it with four appearances and decent minutes against Wales and a start against Italy.
“It makes a big difference having multiple games in a row. If you only have one game, it's quite a lot of pressure on that one game. It was nice to know that I would probably play in the next four games.”
Robinson’s cause, and that of fellow scrum-half Lucy Packer, was helped by the guidance of Hunt, who stayed in camp to pass on a few tips and corrections to help them improve their games. Hunt was joined by other seasoned internationals to guide the younger players through to another Grand Slam success.
“I definitely was much more settled this time. Because I was in for a month in preseason, so I got a bit more comfortable then. I am just a more confident player now and a little bit older…a little bit more mature, but not that mature!”
Robinson is a delightful blend of silliness off the pitch, a street fighter on it but also has a serious side that got her to Exeter University to study biology and a masters in immunology at King’s College in London.
Her early foray into sport saw her follow her sister into athletics, but while Emily excelled at field events, younger Robinson was more about the track with 800m being her favourite event. Who chooses 800m as their favourite? She blended athletics with rugby at Brighton, Hove, and Horsham rugby clubs before settling on Pulborough RFC where she played with Emily and won two U18s National Cups championships. She finally had to choose between her two sports when the winter cross-country runs and hurdles got the better of her.
“I couldn't do it anymore because the hurdles got bigger and further apart…and I didn't grow!”
Robinson headed to Exeter to continue her studies and rugby despite the limitations of the Covid era. Before she started work at the university, she got in touch with former Exeter Chiefs Women’s head coach Susie Appleby and joined the club’s pre-season. She made 17 appearances in that first season and broke into the England U20s the following summer.
“I was encouraged to just pick the uni that I thought was the best uni for me and not take rugby into consideration. I just really like Exeter as a city. We've always visited my Grandma's in Cornwall, so we always would come down here in summer and we'd go to Exeter if the weather was bad. I've always liked it, and I like the feel of the uni…and I knew they had a good BUCS programme.
“I was on the list to do pre-season with the uni, but it was Covid, so then the uni pre-season didn't actually happen. I just messaged Susie and asked if I could come along to Chiefs pre-season and trial.
“Again, I got very lucky, one of the scrum-halves was injured at the time and then Patricia Garcia got a red card, so she got a five-week game ban. That’s when I got my opportunity to actually start.”
Robinson spent her three university years with Chiefs before heading to Harlequins to join her sister Emily. A year later though, Flo did a U-turn and brought Emily with her.
“I really liked the team [Quins]. I got to know everyone really well and actually really enjoyed the people there. It was just that I just didn't play very much. Also, the way Exeter plays just suits me quite a lot better. I knew that I fit in really well here – personality-wise as well as rugby-wise. Honestly, I felt like I went through a break-up leaving Chiefs!"
She added: "Emily was actually quite similar in that she didn't feel like she was getting any better at Quins. She'd been there for six years and didn't feel like she was progressing. She wanted to give rugby a bit more of a go.”
The Robinsons now have leadership roles within the squad with Emily captain and Flo one of her vice-captains. If fit, they are among the first names on the team-sheet, allowing the younger Robinson to rack up the appearances leading to her 100th game today.
“It is very cool. I thought maybe I could get it this year, and I was like, ‘Oh, I would really like to be able to do that.’ I really like the club and the team. To be able to have played that many times does mean quite a lot to me and to be joining Merryn, Ebs and Pops. The nicest thing for me is that I can then join those three.”
Read the rest of the articles in the matchday programme here.
Written By:
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club
