England select senior & U20 squads

The EPS is used to select players for autumn test games, the Six Nations and the World Sevens Series over the season.

As a result the squad includes the players in the England Sevens squad and England have confirmed that its XV side will play two test games in November ahead of the Six Nations.  The 51 strong EPS sees six new players called up, although only two players are uncapped at international level; Saracens Zira Hanley and Worcester’s Courtney Gill. Lauren Cattell, Rachael Lund, Fiona Pocock and Isabelle Noel-Smith are the other new names added to the EPS.

In the England U20s squad there is also a raft of changes, with 17 new players coming into the 31-woman squad. The team will be coached by former England captain Jo Yapp (Head Coach).

The England U20s will play the Army in February and France home and away in March as well as an international summer tour.

England Women’s Head Coach Simon Middleton said: “As we continue to develop our squad for the future, this EPS has been selected with our focus on our defence of the 2017 Rugby World Cup, our ongoing Sevens programme as well as getting the positional balance right across the board.

“I am excited to welcome back four players who have already been involved in the EPS programme while Zira Hanley and Courtney Gill are players who are improving all the time and really deserve the opportunity to step up to the next level.

“With such a busy calendar this is going to be another big year for England women’s rugby. It is therefore important we build on the momentum of developing players as we look to balance our XVs and Sevens ambitions.”

England Women EPS 2015/16

Sasha Acheson (Bristol)Claire Allan (Richmond)Bianca Blackburn (Worcester)Emily Braund (Lichfield)Natasha Brennan (Richmond)Abbie Brown (Bristol)Rachael Burford (Thurrock)Rowena Burnfield (Richmond)*Lauren Cattell (Saracens)Rochelle Clark (Worcester)Amy Cokayne (Lichfield)Victoria Cornborough (Richmond)Emma Croker (Richmond)Heather Fisher (Thurrock)Victoria Fleetwood (Saracens)Hannah Gallagher (Saracens)*Courtney Gill (Worcester)*Zira Hanley (Saracens)Natasha Hunt (Lichfield)Sarah Hunter (Lichfield)Megan Jones (Bristol)Laura Keates (Worcester)Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Ceri Large (Worcester)Ruth Laybourn (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Justine Lucas (Lichfield)*Rachel Lund (Worcester)La Toya Mason (Wasps)Katie Mason (Bristol)Alexandra Matthews (Richmond)Francesca Matthews (Richmond)Sarah McKenna (Saracens)Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield)Marlie Packer (Wasps)*Fiona Pocock (Richmond)*Isabelle Noel-Smith (Bristol)Amber Reed (Bristol)Alice Richardson (Richmond)Leanne Riley (Saracens)Emily Scarratt (Lichfield)Emily Scott (Thurrock)Abbie Scott (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Michaela Staniford (Wasps)Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Lydia Thompson (Worcester)Katie Turnball (Lichfield)Danielle Waterman (Bristol)Joanne Watmore (Richmond)Kay Wilson (Thurrock)Amy Wilson-Hardy (Bristol)

England Women Under 20 squad 2015/16

*Holly Aitchison (Lichfield, Hartpury College)Zoe Aldcroft (Hartpury, Northumbria University)Sarah Bern (Bristol, University of Gloucestershire)*Jessica Breach (Pulborough)May Campbell (Wasps, Brunel University)Abby Dow (Reading)*Sydney Gregson (Bristol, University of Bath)*Zoe Harrison (Welwyn, Hartpury College)Lottie Holland (Bath, University of Bath)Jessie Hood (Bath, University of Bath)Olivia Jones (Bristol, Cardiff Metropolitan University)*Poppy Leitch (Bristol, University of Exeter)*Hannah Luff (Bristol, Bicton College)Caity Mattinson (Darlingont Mowden Park, Northumbria University)*Catriona McNaney (Bristol, University of Exeter)*Chantelle Miell (Bristol, University of Bath)Becky Noon (Lichfield, Nottingham Trent University)*Sue Nueman (Bristol, Bristol University)Lucy Nye (Lichfield, Loughborough University)Cath O'Donnell (Waterloo, University of Liverpool)*Ellena Perry (Welwyn, Hartpury College)Jade Shekells (Hartpury, Cardiff Metropolitan University)*Kelly Smith (Worcester, Hartpury University)*Jeanine Stephenson (Welwyn)*Sally Stott (Vale of Lune, Edinburgh University)*Linzi Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University)Katie Trevarthen (Lichfield, Coventry University)*Emma Uren (Esher)*Hannah West (Wasps, Brunel University)*Anna Wolf (Bristol, University of Exeter)Millie Wood (Lichfield, University of Gloucestershire)

*denotes new introduction