England Women - Elite Sqaud Announced for 2010/11

England look to the future

 England Women's Elite Squad for 2010-2011

England Women’s Head Coach Gary Street announced his England Elite squad for the new season.

After finishing second in the Women’s Rugby World Cup last month, England are now on the first of a new four year development cycle leading up to the 2014 World Cup and because of this Street has named a squad mixed with experience and youth.

All but two of the 26-woman world cup squad are still in the elite squad of 44. Sarah Beale and Amber Penrith, who both featured in the world cup final against New Zealand, have both decided to step down and take some time out from rugby.

However, there are also nine new faces in the squad, all of whom have played for the England Under 20s squad. In comes Marlie Packer and Natasha Hunt who have already played England A rugby, while the likes of Stacey Maguire and Kay Wilson will be players to watch for the future. Katy Storie, who played in the 2006 world cup, is the only player from last year’s elite squad to retire.

Street said: “We are fortunate that our world cup squad was relatively young and we haven’t had many retirements so we have stability and experience here. However, this squad is all about development and looking to the future. We cannot just think about this season and that is why we are giving players who we think could be major international players in the future a chance now. We think it’s important to take the opportunity to accelerate their development now rather than leaving it for a couple of years even if they don’t make an immediate impact.”

England will this season compete to defend their RBS 6 Nations grand slam crown, a tournament they’ve won for the last five years, while England A will also be in action against the Nomads, Spain and compete in the European Trophy. The squads’ captains will be announced in January.

“Obviously the world cup defeat still hurts desperately but we are not here to sit and wallow,” added Street. “We are looking ahead. This season is a new challenge and we need to keep improving.

“The RBS 6 Nations and the Nations Cup will be our major tournaments this season and we are really looking forward to them. After the profile the world cup created for us we are expecting more people to take an interest in these tournaments than ever before so we’ll be going out there to defend our titles. At the same time, it will be all about laying new foundations for the future.”

England Elite squad 2010/2011

Claire Allan   Richmond     Centre

Margaret        Alphonsi        Saracens       Flanker

Charlotte        Barras            Saracens       Wing

Rachael         Burford           Richmond     Centre

Rowena         Burnfield       Richmond     2nd Row

Abigail            Chamberlain            Richmond     Centre

Rochelle        Clark   Worcester      Prop

Emma            Croker            Richmond     Hooker

Rosemarie    Crowley         Lichfield         Prop

Rebecca        Essex Richmond     2nd Row

* Hannah       Field   Wasps            Flanker

Heather          Fisher Worcester      Flanker

* Victoria        Fleetwood     Lichfield         Hooker

Amy    Garnett           Saracens       Hooker

Sophie           Hemming      Bristol Prop

* Natasha      Hunt   Lichfield         Scrum Half

Sarah Hunter            Lichfield         Flanker

Karen Jones  Worcester      Flanker

Laura  Keates            Worcester      Prop

Jane   Leonard         Lichfield         Flanker

* Stacey         Maguire         Lichfield         2nd Row

* Charlotte     Male   Bristol  Prop

La Toya          Mason            Wasps            Scrum Half

Francesca     Matthews       Richmond     Wing

Joanna          McGilchrist    Wasps            2nd Row

* Sarah           McKenna       Old Albanians          Fly Half

Katy    McLean          Darlington Mowden Park   Fly Half

Katherine      Merchant       Worcester      Wing

* Isobel           Noel Smith    Bristol  Flanker

Kimberley      Oliver  Bristol   Fly Half

* Marlie           Packer            Bristol   Flanker

Fiona  Pocock           Richmond     Full Back

Olivia  Poore  Wasps            Hooker

Claire Purdy   Wasps            Prop

Alice   Richardson   Richmond     Centre

Georgina       Roberts          Darlington Mowden Park   Centre

Georgina       Rozario          Lichfield         Scrum Half

Emily  Scarratt          Lichfield         Centre

Catherine      Spencer         Bristol   Number 8

Michaela        Staniford        Wasps            Wing

Tamara          Taylor   Darlington Mowden Park   2nd Row

Amy    Turner            Richmond     Hooker

Danielle         Waterman     Worcester      Full Back

* Kay   Wilson            Richmond     Full Back

* Denotes new squad member