Packer 'emotional' On Return As Red Roses Captain

Rugby World Cup warm-up: England v Spain

Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road Date: Saturday, 2 August Kick-off: 15:00 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC iPlayer and website pinch unrecorded matter commentary connected nan website and app

England flanker Marlie Packer admits she sewage "emotional" astatine nan imaginable of captaining nan Red Roses again successful Saturday's Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up crippled against Spain.

The 35-year-old was replaced arsenic England skipper by Zoe Aldcroft successful January aft 2 seasons successful nan role.

Despite caput coach John Mitchell opting for Aldcroft to lead nan broadside into this month's World Cup, 111-cap Packer is still vice-captain and will skipper nan broadside successful Aldcroft's absence successful Leicester this weekend.

"What is amended than playing successful a location World Cup? Whatever domiciled I play successful this I americium going to springiness my all. That starts this play against Spain," Packer said.

"Mitch had a speech rather early successful pre-season astir my squad domiciled successful nan first mates of games.

"When he said 'I americium going to sanction you arsenic captain' [for nan first warm-up game], I sewage a small spot emotional.

"Zoe has been doing an astonishing occupation and you conscionable don't cognize if you are going to get that motion again."

Packer past played for nan Red Roses connected 19 April against Scotland astatine Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, wherever nan crippled against Spain will beryllium played.

Mitchell's broadside besides play France successful Mont-de-Marsan adjacent Saturday successful their last warm-up crippled earlier kicking nan tourney disconnected astatine Sunderland's Stadium of Light against nan United States connected 22 August.

Despite being 1 of only 4 World Cup winners successful nan squad remaining from 2014, Packer faces reliable title to commencement nan opener successful nan backmost row.

Maddie Feaunati, 23, started alternatively of Packer for England's Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France successful April, while Sadia Kabeya, 23, has besides played up of nan erstwhile England captain.

Off nan section has besides been engaged for Packer, pinch nan vice-captain proposing to England team-mate Rosie Galligan.

A metropolis break to Bath a fewer months agone was wherever Galligan spotted nan ringing she wanted, but Packer said it was excessively costly and utilized nan upcoming World Cup arsenic an excuse.

Packer past proceeded to sneakily telephone up and unafraid nan purchase.

"That aforesaid week I sewage it sized up and ordered," she said.

"I was going to do it connected nan week we had disconnected aft Treviso. I said to her dada and nan remainder of nan family astir coming complete connected that day.

"She went and sewage her nails done and asked if she minded if she sewage her hairsbreadth done. It was each group up perfectly.

"I did it wherever we first started speaking astatine a reservoir conscionable extracurricular Guildford.

"She was connected her measurement and I texted her to meet maine astatine this location. It was cleanable and it couldn't person been done immoderate better. She was ace surprised."

Upcoming family weddings successful 2026 has near 2027 arsenic nan apt wedding date, but Packer is alert of nan British and Irish Lions' first women's circuit that September, to New Zealand.

Galligan, 28, is successful her premier years and will apt beryllium successful nan operation for a squad spot.

However, Parker, who is 36 successful October, is not convinced she will beryllium successful contention by then.

"With nan backmost statement astatine nan Red Roses and astatine each different nation, I deliberation I would only beryllium going to nan Lions if I was h2o girl," Packer joked. "I would want to beryllium location successful immoderate capacity, but playing successful 2027 location will beryllium immoderate really unthinkable world people players.

"Rosie mightiness want to play successful it, truthful it [the wedding] will astir apt beryllium aft nan Lions tour."