The Red Roses’ second training session of pre-season shows subtle differences from John Mitchell’s policy of last year.
The total number of players called up is as large as I have known it, 42, but no fewer than 18 will be missing as they prepare for the PWR final. So curiously, coaches will have to make do with only 24. One of the big plusses of large numbers is the authenticity given to practice sessions. This limitation is another indication of the crowded nature of a pre-World Cup season.
Even worse, there will be only a week between the Glos-Pury/Saracens final and the first round of the 6N – hardly time for the bruises of a gigantic encounter to wear off.
It’s doubtful that any of their five opponents in the 2025 Six Nations will feel sympathy for these restrictions.
Once more new names have been added to the regulars. They are Charlotte Fray, Jade Shekells, Millie David and Sarah Parry.
To my mind the interesting call is Shekells. She is 28 and was first called up to the England 7s squad three years ago, then the GB squad for the Paris Olympics. When Worcester Warriors collapsed, she signed for Glos-Pury, but has hardly appeared for them.
For the other three, highly promising youngsters who have been shining brightly in PWR rounds, we must hope that they can retain their places for longer than others have over the past year. Here’s a sample list of players invited in, then cast out: Phoebe Murray, Katie Buchanan, Brooke Bradley, Pip Hendy, Delaney Burns, Vicki Laflin, Simi Pam and Gabriella Nigrelli.
Venue
It’s the turn of Bristol to host these sessions, making it the darling of all English cities in the eyes of the RFU. Once more the lack of a national training centre becomes painfully clear.
Coaching Staff
The only addition to the current strength (John Mitchell, Louis Deacon and Lou Meadows) is Nathan Catt, standing in for Sarah Hunter, who remains on maternity leave. Catt has already linked up with the Red Roses at WXV.
The latest squad:
Forwards
Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears), Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), May Campbell (Saracens), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), Charlotte Fray (Leicester Tigers), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Lizzie Hanlon (Harlequins), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Connie Powell (Harlequins), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears) (23)
Backs
Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Jess Breach (Saracens), Millie David (Bristol Bears), Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers 3), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Sarah Parry (Harlequins), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury), Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ella Wyrwas (Saracens) (19)
Club-count
Bristol 6
Exeter 3
G-H 11
Quins 5
Leicester 3
Lightning 4
Sale 1
Saracens 7
TF 2
In other words, the four semi-finalists claim 29 of the 42 places; 18 alone from the two finalists.
Who said: “Fair shares for all”?
