Laura and her sister
Kelly, represented at the
2014 Women's Rugby World Cup. They were also in the squad that toured
New Zealand in June 2014. In 2016, she was named the
Rugby Canada Senior Women's Player of the Year. She took over the captaincy of the national team from her sister
Kelly Russell. Russell also represents the national women's sevens team on the
Rugby Canada Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour Working Group which was established on July 17, 2020. In 2022, Laura married long-term partner,
Ray Barkwill. Barkwill also played for Rugby Canada from 2012 to 2019. In 2022, Russell was initially named in Canada's squad to the
Rugby World Cup in
New Zealand. She was later ruled out of the tournament due to an injury. == Awards and recognition ==