We now have our fifth and final Red Roses training squad.
It is:
Forwards:
Aldcroft, Allen, Atkin-Davies, Bern, Botterman, Brock, Burns, Campbell, Carson, Cleall, Clifford, Cokayne, Feaunati, Ives Campion, Matthews, Muir, Nigrelli, Packer M., Pam, Talling (20)
Backs:
Aitchison, Breach, Bradley, Buchanan, Dow, Harrison, Heard, Hendy, Hunt, Kildunne, Murray, Packer L, Rowland, Scarratt, Sing, Westcombe-Evans, Wyrwas (17)
At last the total number of invited guests drops below 40. This is due in part to two unfortunate injuries to Cath O’Donnell and Sadia Kabeya, who will miss both the imminent internationals and WXV1. Rosie Galligan has also suffered another injury.
Sarah McKenna, assistant coach to the Under 20s, is not listed; nor are Abbie Ward and Steph Else.
That helps to explain the recall of Maisy Allen and Delaney Burns. Brooke Bradley remains in the hunt, alongside three other No 9s.
By the end of this fifth session all that remains is for the selection committee to knock their heads together to decide who escapes the chopping-block. The analysts will inform them who has run the furthest the quickest, who reached rucks the fastest, who kicked the ball the furthest, who dropped the most passes (nobody?) and so on.
But when it comes to sorting the names, other matters come into consideration. Will it be a single squad for the next five matches, or will it be one step at a time: a squad to face their two big challengers at home, then a rethink before committing to flight tickets to Canada? Getting squad balance right is a fine art, and John Mitchell’s three asistants have the advantage of having been in this position before; knowing precisely how many hookers and scrum-halves to include, for example.
This is your latest opportunity to jot down the Red Roses’ 23 for the next match, against France at Ashton Gate on 7 September. Having got that right, you’ll have no trouble with the Black Ferns clash a week later. Finally, your confidence aglow, you pick out the squad of 30 to play USA, New Zealand and Canada in turn. Easy.
