Champions And Fearless Youth - Who's In England's World Cup Squad?

Women's Rugby World Cup 2025

Host nation: England Dates: 22 August-27 September

Coverage: Selected matches connected BBC TV, pinch each crippled unrecorded connected BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app; perceive connected BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Sports Extra

England person named a formidable 32-player squad for adjacent month's location Women's Rugby World Cup.

After back-to-back last defeats by New Zealand, nan Red Roses are favourites to triumph their first World Cup since 2014.

Given nan immense talent available, caput coach John Mitchell had a reliable occupation trimming his last action down from nan first 42-strong training squad.

BBC Sport looks astatine nan cardinal factors down those decisions.

All being well, pursuing her selection, Emily Scarratt will go nan first English rugby national subordinate to play successful 5 World Cups.

However, this clip she will apt fulfil a different role.

The 35-year-old centre, nan astir knowledgeable subordinate successful nan squad pinch 118 caps, was named subordinate of nan lucifer erstwhile nan Red Roses hit Canada successful nan 2014 World Cup final.

But since returning past twelvemonth pursuing neck surgery and a 13-month absence, Scarratt is yet to afloat found herself nether Mitchell.

Vice-captain Megan Jones and Tatyana Heard are Mitchell's go-to centre combination, while Scarratt has mislaid retired connected a chair spot to players who are tin of covering much positions.

Scarratt, who missed retired connected nan matchday squad for England's Grand Slam triumph complete France astatine Allianz Stadium successful April, was initially tested astatine wrong centre by Mitchell, contempt playing nan mostly of her profession astatine extracurricular centre.

That ne'er really worked retired but Scarratt has still held disconnected title to drawback a squad spot because of her acquisition and leadership.

Scarratt is 1 of 4 squad members included from nan group that hit Canada 11 years ago.

Marlie Packer, Alex Matthews and Natasha Hunt each played that time and person been cardinal players for Mitchell complete nan past 2 seasons.

Packer, 35, captained England during that clip and lifted back-to-back Grand Slams earlier Zoe Aldcroft took complete arsenic skipper this year.

Young talent has emerged successful nan backmost statement and Packer faces reliable title for a starting spot but her acquisition will beryllium key, having started nan past 3 World Cup finals.

Number 8 Alex Matthews, who was named subordinate of nan lucifer erstwhile England won nan Grand Slam against France past year, has developed into Mitchell's large crippled player.

Suspension impacted nan 31-year-old's commencement to this year's Six Nations but she showed her people connected her return. When England play well, Matthews is usually astatine nan bosom of nan squad pinch her beardown ball-carrying.

Hunt has established herself arsenic Mitchell's starting scrum-half aft being a astonishment omission from nan World Cup squad successful 2022.

The 36-year-old is nan oldest subordinate successful nan squad but has played immoderate of her champion rugby complete nan past 2 seasons.

Hunt's accelerated work is captious to really Mitchell wants to play and her return to nan world shape has taken England's onslaught to nan adjacent dimension.

The people of 2014 person a mixed 383 caps and will beryllium nan drivers of Mitchell's plan, pinch a imaginable last World Cup astatine Twickenham bringing further motivation.

Twelve of England's starting XV from nan agonising World Cup last conclusion by nan Black Ferns successful 2022 person been named again.

Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern and Abbie Ward, alongside nan people of 2014, besides started successful nan 2017 last nonaccomplishment astatine nan hands of nan Black Ferns.

Will those back-to-back last defeats beryllium successful their minds if nan sides meet again successful nan showpiece?

For immoderate of nan squad, location is nary erstwhile World Cup last baggage.

Flanker Maddie Feaunati is 1 of 8 Red Roses selected for their World Cup debuts.

The 23-year-old made her England debut past twelvemonth and was a standout performer successful this year's Six Nations.

Her fearless cognition is shown successful her abrasive playing style and it could bring a refreshing attack travel nan business end.

She has each nan attributes to beryllium a imaginable prima of nan World Cup arsenic she intends to proceed challenging seasoned backmost rowers Packer and Matthews.

Forwards Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling went to nan past World Cup arsenic 20-year-olds and this clip person a genuine opportunity of being successful nan starting XV.

Both will bring youthful power to complement Mitchell's knowledgeable campaigners.

Mitchell had immoderate tight calls to make, particularly astatine hooker and successful nan backmost three, to trim his squad down to 32 players.

"It'll beryllium difficult connected immoderate players successful nan consciousness that immoderate specialists mightiness miss retired arsenic a consequence of nan versatility that's needed," Mitchell had said.

Saracens hooker Campbell, who has 3 caps, made nan Six Nations squad complete Connie Powell.

That conflict to beryllium nan 3rd hooker down Lark Atkin-Davies and Amy Cokayne went to Campbell to reward her nine form.

The 29-year-old made a number of appearances successful nan backmost statement and that versatility pinch reduced squad numbers would person made a difference.

Similarly, Exeter helping Claudia Moloney-MacDonald covered scrum-half for nan World Cup successful 2022 and that has helped Mitchell spell for only 2 master scrum-halves.

Versatility tin beryllium a curse erstwhile trying to nail down a starting position - which inferior backmost Helena Rowland seems to person fallen into nether Mitchell - but for tight squad calls and chair spots it is an important attribute.

Olympian Abi Burton spent 25 days successful an induced coma successful 2022 and remarkably will now caput to a World Cup.

When Burton came retired of her coma she had mislaid much than 3 chromatic (19kg), but she miraculously returned to rugby sevens successful clip for her 2nd Olympics successful Paris, earlier impressing connected her return to XVs pinch Trailfinders Women.

What makes that feat moreover much awesome is that nan 25-year-old backmost rower is included successful 1 of nan astir competitory areas.

Burton only has 2 caps, pinch her 2 tries disconnected nan chair connected her England debut against Wales successful March a large facet successful her inclusion.

An explosive cameo showed a constituent of quality to separator retired 24-year-old Georgia Brock, who Mitchell rates highly.

Another GB Sevens player, Jade Shekells, is besides included arsenic 1 of nan centres and she excessively showed her earthy athleticism connected her England debut successful March against Italy successful York.

Both players are an absorbing action from Mitchell, who intelligibly likes their beingness capabilities arsenic imaginable crippled breakers.