Source: Matchtight

England’s Training Squad announced

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The only surprise about Simon Middleton’s choice of 39 players for his World Cup training squad is the lack of surprises.

The one exception is Laura Keates (Worcester Warriors), who has made a great comeback after many years in the wilderness, plagued by injury. She was first capped in the front row in 2011. The only other addition to the current squad is Detysha Harper (Loughborough Lightning), who is at the other end of her international career with five caps. It is significant that both are prop forwards, suggesting the selectors’ ongoing concern to have the strongest possible combinations up front.

There are 23 forwards and 16 backs (see below). With a likely final count of 19 forwards and 13 backs, competition can only hot up further as the training sessions move from the University of Bath to Penny Hill Park.

There are nine non-contracted players here; it will be fascinating to see how many of them make it through to the final squad of 32. Two of them, Mo Hunt and Claudia Macdonald, were temporary absentees the last time contracts were dished out. The remainder will have to hold their breath for future preferment.

In so large a group, all corners seem to be covered. For the younger element who have the misfortune not to make the final cutl there is compensation; the next World Cup is only three years away. The experience they gain from the current preparations will benefit them for that challenge.

The inbuilt advantage the Red Roses have is the vast number of caps they possess, led by two centurions, Sarah Hunter (134 caps) and Emily Scarratt (101), both past World Players of the Year; (Zoe Aldcroft currently holds that prize).

Of the 28 players who took part in the International Series in New Zealand five years ago no fewer than 13 are retained, some in partial disguise under different names and different clubs. That is an important advantage, since jousting with Kiwis in their own back yard has always been one of rugby’s less fruitful challenges. The result on that occasion was Black Ferns 21 England 29. But the Ferns turned the tables four months later in Belfast.

The Squad:

Holly Aitchison (Saracens)
Jess Breach (Saracens)
Abby Dow (Wasps)
Zoe Harrison (Saracens)
Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury)*
Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins)
Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)*
Sarah McKenna (Saracens)
Lucy Packer (Harlequins)
Amber Reed (Bristol Bears)
Leanne Infante (Saracens)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning)
Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning)
Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury)*
Lydia Thompson (Worcester Warriors)
Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Sarah Beckett (Harlequins)
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears)
Hannah Botterman (Saracens)
Shaunagh Brown (Harlequins)
Bryony Cleall (Wasps)
Poppy Cleall (Saracens)
Amy Cokayne (Harlequins)
Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins)
Lark Davies (Bristol Bears)
Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens)
Rosie Galligan (Harlequins)*
Detysha Harper (Loughborough Lightning)*
Sarah Hunter (Loughborough Lightning)
Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning)*
Laura Keates (Worcester Warriors)*
Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning)
Marlie Packer (Saracens)
Connie Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury)*
Morwenna Talling (Loughborough Lightning)*
Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears)

*denotes non-contracted player