Emily Scarratt is in line to become the first England player to compete at five Rugby World Cups after being named in John Mitchell’s 32-player squad for next month’s tournament while scrum-half Natasha “Mo” Hunt has been selected after missing out under the previous coaching regime.
Hunt was a headline omission for England’s last Rugby World Cup tilt in New Zealand in 2022 but under Mitchell, who was appointed after they fell short in the Auckland showpiece final, the Gloucester-Hartpury No 9 has been a key feature of the starting XV.
Scarratt, meanwhile, made her World Cup debut in 2010 and won the tournament in 2014 before featuring for the losing finalists in the next two stagings, held in 2017 and then 2022 after a one-year Covid delay. Only five other women have played in five Rugby World Cups before. New Zealand’s Anna Richards and Fiao’o Fa’amausili, Scotland’s Donna Kennedy, Canada’s Gillian Florence and the USA’s Patty Jervey all starred in five tournaments during their careers.
“More than experience, she understands the legacy of the Red Roses,” Mitchell said of Scarratt. “Along with that experience she brings leadership to younger players. She doesn’t necessarily need to be in the leadership group because she leads by her example. She is very calm. She wants to leave the Red Roses in a better place.”
Zoe Aldcroft, who was named England captain in January, will lead the host nation’s squad of 14 backs and 18 forwards into the tournament, with England kicking off against the USA in Sunderland on 22 August.
Forwards
Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 63 caps)
Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 66 caps)
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 71 caps)
Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 56 caps)
Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, 2 caps)
May Campbell (Saracens, 3 caps)
Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 21 caps)
Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 13 caps)
Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 83 caps)
Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)
Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 24 caps)
Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, 2 caps)
Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 21 caps)
Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 75 caps)
Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 40 caps)
Marlie Packer (Saracens, 110 caps)
Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 22 caps)
Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 74 caps)
Backs
Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks, 40 caps)
Jess Breach (Saracens, 45 caps)
Abby Dow (Unattached, 52 caps)
Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 57 caps)
Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 29 caps)*
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 80 caps)
Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 25 caps)
Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 52 caps)
Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 35 caps)
Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 31 caps)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 39 caps)*
Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 118 caps)
Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury, 2 caps)
Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 8 caps)
The Gloucester-Hartpury second-row, who led England to their sixth consecutive Six Nations title in April, said: “To lead the team into a home Rugby World Cup is an incredible feeling. This group have a fantastic opportunity to inspire young boys and girls all over the country – it’s something we have spoken about as a collective and we’re relishing the chance to do so. Pulling on the white shirt is always a massive privilege and we can’t wait to do that, backed by our amazing home support.”
Mitchell has not sprung any surprises with his squad and has mixed experience with new talent. There will be eight World Cup debutants, including Abi Burton who won her first England cap in March after recovering from a life-threatening illness and Emma Sing who started England’s grand slam winning game against France in April for the injured Ellie Kildunne.
Kildunne, the World Rugby player of the year, is also included, along with Aldcroft’s predecessor as captain, Marlie Packer, and No 8 Alex Matthews. Packer and Matthews, who both won the World Cup in 2014, will feature in their fourth World Cups.
The Red Roses are favourites to win the trophy after winning their past 55 Tests of 56, the last loss coming against the Black Ferns in an upset in the 2022 World Cup final.
With that tag comes pressure but for Mitchell it is the way that is framed which is important. “It’s exciting, you hear the word pressure all of the time but it’s just a word,” he added. “You have to turn it into an action. Some people tend to frame it negatively and when you do that it becomes more around the risk of failure whereas I see this as an opportunity to be successful.
“It’s going to come down to extremely good leadership that is decisive and leadership that is looking to always chase solutions. That is where my head is at. It’s not about me, I come second. It’s about the girls realising their potential individually so they can become stronger collectively.”
