England name 2012/2013 squads

The EPS is a group of 44 players who will be chosen to represent England at 15s and Sevens level over the coming year and there are 12 newcomers to the squad.

Once again next season England have lined up an impressively busy schedule.

The 15s side are to play France and New Zealand later this year in Autumn internationals followed by the 2013 Six Nations. Later in 2013 England are to travel to New Zealand for a three-test series and also to the USA to take part in the Nations Cup.

England Sevens meanwhile will compete in the inaugural IRB Womens World Sevens Series and then the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Russia in June 2013 should they qualify later this summer.

The changes to the EPS squad see Lichfields Emily Braund and Rosemarie Crowley, Richmonds Emma Croker and Alexandra Matthews, Saracens Hannah Gallagher and Bristols Kate Newton all included.

Braund featured in this seasons Six Nations and European Cup campaigns, Croker returned to action after having a baby, Crowley and Newton also both featured in this months winning European Cup, whilst Gallagher and Matthews both graduate from the England U20s programme.

In the backs, Natasha Brennan, Lauren Cattell, Fiona Davidson, Abigail Chamberlain, Ceri Large and Sally Tuson are all given the nod.

Brennan made her England Sevens debut last weekend in Amsterdam, Cattell and Davidson step up from the England U20s set-up, Chamberlain returns to the EPS system, whilst Large and Tuson both impressed at the European Cup last week.

England Head Coach Gary Street said: We have a number of players new to the EPS this season and the England coaching team have a lot of confidence in these players as all of them have had some international experience, in either XVs or Sevens this term. These players have been knocking on the door of the EPS so this is a natural progression for them. With these players having international experience under their belts already it puts the England set-up in a very strong position.

Overall, this is a very fresh and exciting squad, and having the likes of Lauren Cattell and Alex Matthews included, who are just 18 and 19 respectively, underlines the quality and strength we have got for the forthcoming season but also for the future of England Rugby.

Street added: The 2012/2013 season will unquestionably be one of the most demanding seasons ever. We have very comprehensive XVs and Sevens programmes in place as we build towards the World Cup in 2014 in France and also with the Sevens World Cup in 2013.

The England U20s squad includes several new faces this season with a number of players now no longer qualified to play for this age-group. There are 15 newcomers in all and these include North Dorsets Lucy Aylesbury, Newquay Hornets Lauren Chemoweth, Worcester duo Mary-Anne Gittings and Siobhan Longdon-Hughes, Hartpurys Megan Goddard, Basingstokes Francesca Hall, Thornburys Tatyana Henard, London Irishs Amber Luke and Rochelle Smith, Plymouths Holly Molesworth, Paviours Amy Needham, Lichfields Carys Williams, Waterloos Eleanor Prescott and Aylesfords Florence Williams. Kayleigh Callaway-Bawden also returns to the England U20s set-up after a year out.

The England U20s will once again be coached by Amanda Bennett and Steve Halsey this season and they will take on France in home and away games as well as compete in the U20s Nations Cup in England.

England Women EPS2012/2013Maggie Alphonsi (Saracens)*Emily Braund (Lichfield)*Natasha Brennan (Wasps)Rachael Burford (Richmond)Rowena Burnfield (Richmond)*Lauren Cattell (Chesham)*Abi Chamberlain (Richmond)Rochelle Clark (Worcester)*Emma Croker (Richmond)*Rosemarie Crowley (Lichfield)*Fiona Davidson (Richmond)Rebecca Essex(Richmond)Heather Fisher (Worcester)Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield)*Hannah Gallagher (Saracens)Sarah Guest(Worcester)Sophie Hemming (Bristol)Natasha Hunt (Lichfield)Sarah Hunter (Lichfield)Laura Keates (Worcester)*Ceri Large (Worcester)Ruth Laybourn (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)La Toya Mason (Wasps)*Alexandra Matthews (Richmond)Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Kat Merchant (Worcester)Harriett Millar-Mills (Lichfield)*Kate Newton (Bristol)Isabelle Noel-Smith (Bristol)Kimberley Oliver (Bristol)Marlie Packer (Bristol)Claire Purdy(Wasps)Amber Reed (Bristol)Alice Richardson (Richmond)Georgina Rozario (Lichfield)Emily Scarratt (Lichfield)Michaela Staniford (Wasps)Tamara Taylor(Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)Lydia Thompson (Worcester)Amy Turner (Richmond)*Sally Tuson (Bristol)Danielle Waterman (Worcester)Joanne Watmore (Worcester)Kay Wilson (Bristol)

England Women U20s Squad 2012/2013 (Name, Club, CB, Division, AASE College)*Lucy Aylesbury (North Dorset RFC, Dorset & Wilts, South West, Hartpury)Bianca Blackburn (Gloucester Reds, Gloucestershire, South West, Hartpury)*Kayleigh Callaway-Bawden (Bristol/Penryn, Cornwall, South West)*Lauren Chenoweth (Newquay Hornets, Cornwall, South West)Mica Evans (Saracens, Hertfordshire, London & South East)Ellie Gatltin (Saracens, Essex, London & South East)Courtney Gill (Plymouth Albion, Devon, South West, Hartpury)*Mary-Anne Gittings (Worcester RFC, Gloucestershire, South West)*Megan Goddard (Hartpury RFC, Gloucestershire, South West, Hartpury)*Francesca Hall (Basingstoke RFC, Hampshire, London & South East)*Tatyana Heard (Thornbury RFC, Yorkshire, North, Hartpury)*Siobhan Longdon-Hughes (Worcester RFC, Surrey, London & South East, Hartpury)*Amber Luke (London Irish, Surrey, London & South East)*Holly Molesworth (Plymouth Albion, Devon, South West, Hartpury)*Amy Needham (Paviors, Notts, Lincs & Derbys, Midlands, Moulton)Charlotte Notman (PenrynRFC, Cornwall, South West)Georgia Peedle (Saracens, Hertfordshire, London & South East)Eleanor Prescott (Waterloo RFC, Lancashire, North)Catherine Pugh (Saracens, Essex, London & South East)Leanne Riley (Saracens, Hertfordshire, London & South East)Abbie Scott (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumberland, North)*Rochelle Smith (London Irish, Surrey, London & South East)*Carys Williams (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands, Moulton)*Florence Williams (Aylesford, Kent, London & South East)