Autumn test squads announced

New cap Claire McLaughlin training with Ireland earlier this month (photo: Cathal Noonan/www.Inpho.ie)

England

The England squad was announced today (Friday) ahead of two autumn internationals against France and Ireland.

England first play against France at Le Stade Francis Turcan in Martigues on Saturday November 7th (9pm local time, 8pm GMT), a game that will be broadcast live in France (on France4) and in the UK and Ireland (on Sky Sports).

The two sides last met in this year’s Six Nations, which resulted in a 21-15 win for France. That game marked Rochelle Clarke’s 100th cap and she will get the chance to add to that tally after being named in the autumn squad alongside fellow World Cup winners Emma Croker, Sarah Hunter, Laura Keates, Ceri Large, LaToya Mason, Marlie Packer, Amber Reed and Tamara Taylor.

After their trip to the South of France, England return to home soil, facing Six Nations champions Ireland at The Stoop on Saturday 14 November, kick-off 3pm with a live stream on www.englandrugby.com.

The home side narrowly lost in Ireland in March after Niamh Briggs slotted a last minute penalty to hand Ireland the win in Ashbourne.

Head coach of England Women, Simon Middleton said: “We’ve continued along the lines that we started last year when we looked at the EPS after the 214 World Cup, which recognised the loss of seven very senior, experienced girls through retirement. We looked at recruiting new players into the squad who maybe had been fringe players for the World Cup, in addition to experienced individuals.

“It’s very much a squad with the 2017 World Cup in mind, involving players we know have still got World Cup ambitions and the ability be involved, and then ones we feel can progress to that level.”

With that tournament just two years away, Middleton says performance is now key as the team head into the autumn internationals.

“We’ve got a really clear strategy in place, which started with the EPS squad last year and had a very fresh feel to it, along with a lot of the senior players adding experience. The Six Nations was about getting experience for uncapped players and we expected it to be a very challenging tournament. It was more about starting to develop that squad.

“The next step was the summer tour to Canada, which took a lot of those players to the next level. The upcoming internationals are an extension of that, so again, it will be a young squad but we’re certainly looking more towards performance than development now, which is crucial with a three year cycle.”

England: Bianca Blackburn (Worcester); Rowena Burnfield (Richmond); Lauren Cattell (Saracens); Charlotte Clapp (Saracens); Rochelle Clarke (Worcester); Amy Cokayne (Lichfield); Victoria Cornborough (Richmond); Emma Croker (Richmond); Hannah Gallagher (Saracens); Sarah Hunter (Bristol); Laura Keates (Worcester); Ceri Large (Worcester); Ruth Laybourn (DMP); Justine Lucas (Lichfield); Rachel Lund (Worcester); Katie Mason (Bristol); LaToya Mason (DMP); Sarah Mckenna (Saracens); Harriet  Millar-Mills (Lichfield); Isobel Noel-Smith (Bristol); Marlie Packer (Wasps); Amber Reed (Bristol); Leanne Riley (Richmond); Abbie Scott (DMP); Emily Scott (Thurrock); Tamara Taylor (DMP)

France

The French squad was announced in the middle the month, and had a full training session last weekend after the Top 8 was suspended for a week.

With the sevens squad out in South Africa preparing for Dubai there are several new faces, including:

Julie Annery (Back row): A former member of France’s highly successful U20 squad, she was also short-listed for the World Cup squad last year, but failed to make the final cut. Now aged 20, Julie played her first game in the Top 8 with Bobigny only a year ago, although she has been playing since she was 13.

Pauline Bourdon (Centre): Another U20 graduate, Pauline has played for Bayonne in the Armelle Auclair (one level below the Top 8) since 2013 having started playing in her early teens at USA Limoges. A successful kicker at both club and national U20 level.

Virginie Griere (Second row): Originally a basketball player, she only switched to rugby after discovering the game when at university in Lille, starting off on the wing before moving into the pack.

Romane Menager (No 8/Back row): Romane’s entire family have played rugby, including her parents, her older sister and her identical twin (Marine, who plays centre). Romane and Marine began playing at the age of 10, and both played with the U20s last season. A powerful runner with an impressive hand-off.

Agathe Sochat (hooker): Began playing rugby aged 4, following her father and brother. Played at centre, fly-half, scrum-half and flanker before finally settling at hooker after joining Bordeaux a couple of years ago. Played with Pauline Bourdon at Limoges, and another successful U20 graduate.

The full squad: Audrey Abadie (Blagnac Saint-Orens); Julie Annery (Bobigny);  Lise Arricastre (Lons);  Julie Billes (Montpellier);  Caroline Boujard (Perpignan);  Pauline Bourdon (Bayonne);  Camille Cabalou (Bayonne);  Patricia Carricaburu (Lons);  Marine De Nadaï (Montpellier);  Coumba Tombe Diallo (Bobigny);  Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); Celine Ferrer (Bayonne);  Audrey Forlani (Blagnac Saint-Orens); Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny);  Amaya Gonzalez (Bayonne);  Laetitia Grand (Lons);  Virginie Griere (Lille Villeneuve d’Ascq); Céline Heguy (Bayonne);  Marion Lievre (Bobigny);  Emilie Mathieu (Sassenage) ;  Romane Menager (Lille Villeneuve d’Ascq); Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier);  Safi N’diaye (Montpellier);  Carla Neissen (Blagnac Saint-Orens); Elodie Poublan (Montpellier);  Agathe Sochat (Bordeaux);  Pauline Rayssac (Montpellier);  Yanna Rivoalen (Lille Villeneuve d’Ascq)

Ireland

The Ireland squad was announced earlier this week, with head coach Tom Tierney including ten uncapped players in his squad: - Elaine Anthony, Nikki Caughey, Ciara Cooney, Mairead Coyne, Jeamie Deacon, Aine Donnelly, Zoe Grattage, Claire McLaughlin, Cliodhna Moloney and Fiona Reidy.

"We are looking forward to the game in November,” he said. “It's the first time we have played an autumn international which is another step in the development of Women's rugby. We have an opportunity to have a look at some new players and combinations, building towards the Six Nations."

Elaine Anthony (Highfield/Munster) *; Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt); Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Ulster) *; Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster) *; Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht) *; Jeamie Deacon (Blackrock/Leinster) *; Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara/Leinster) *; Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse) ; Orla Fitzsimons (St Mary's/Leinster); Zoe Grattage (Tralee/Munster) *; Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht); Claire McLaughlin (Queen's University/Ulster) *; Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht); Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union/Leinster) *; Larissa Muldoon (Skewen); Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht); Heather O'Brien (Toulouse) ; Fiona O'Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Ruth O'Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht); Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster) *; Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile); Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Autumn Internationals

France v England, Saturday November 7, Le Stade Francis Turcan, Martigues, kick-off 9pm/8pm GMT

England v Ireland, Saturday November 14, The Stoop, kick-off 3pm.

Spain v Scotland, Sunday November 22,Valladolid (Squads to be annonced)