England women's rugby star Ceri Large chases would-be burglar out of her home

A would-be burglar quickly realised he'd made a big mistake after targeting a house packed full of hardened rugby players.

The man unwittingly entered the home of international star Ceri Large, who represented England in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.

And to make matters worse for the bungling robber, Ms Large had friends from Drybrook women's rugby club staying the night.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows Miss Large and one of her rugby peers chasing the man out of the house in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, and over a six-foot gate at the bottom of the garden.

“He was a scrawny, vile little coward and I was probably bigger than him so it was lucky we didn’t catch him,” Ms Large told Gloucestershire Live.

“You should have seen him jump over that gate. I bet he doesn’t tell people he was chased away by a girl.

“His jeans were so baggy that they fell down around his ankles so he ended up running down the road in his boxers.”

The ordeal took place in the early hours of Saturday morning after Miss Large and her friends had stayed up late watching Children in Need.

The 27-year-old fly-half went to bed at around 1.30am but left the back door open for her brother and his friend, who were expected to be home late.

At around 2.20am, Miss Large was woken by noises downstairs and quickly realised there was an intruder in the house.

She hid in the dark and watched as the man crept in and out of the bedrooms where her friends were sleeping.

When he tried to flick the light on in her own bedroom, she shone her phone light in his face and screamed “There’s a man in the house” at the top of her voice.

“My friends said they had never heard anything like it,” she added to Gloucestershire Live.

“He just scarpered. He must have been scared because he jumped from the top of the stairs to the bottom and broke the bottom step. It’s a shame he didn’t go right through and get stuck.

“I chased him out and my friend was just behind but we decided not to follow when he jumped over a six-foot gate and ran off.”

Miss Large also added that if there was a lesson to be learned it was that you should always lock your doors “because these people are trying the handles looking for an easy way in”.

“I know I shouldn’t have left the door open and if I had caught him I would probably have battered him. But it’s not the point,” she said.

“It’s still frightening and upsetting to know that some vile person has taken their shoes off and crept into your house in the middle of the night.”

The man was described as having dark, scruffy hair and a goatee beard and moustache, while an accomplice waiting nearby wore a grey hoodie and a flat cap.

Gloucestershire Police said that nothing had been stolen from the house but urged anyone with any information about either of the men to come forward.

Miss Large has been capped 52 times for England and now plays for Gloucester Hartpury.