England U18 Women’s head coach James Cooper and assistant coach Oli Perry have confirmed their matchday squad to face Hartpury College.
The uncapped 70-minute preparation fixture ahead of the 2026 Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival takes place at Hartpury College this Saturday (12:30pm GMT kick-off).
In line with encounters against Hartpury College in previous years, Cooper and Perry will employ a different starting XV per half to maximise game time for a wider player pool in preparation for the tournament.
Following on from her first involvement in an England U21 Women’s training camp last week, four-cap Nolli Waterman PDG back-row forward Honey Kerslake will captain the first-half squad. Previously uncapped Darcey Howchin of the Jo Yapp PDG will then lead England in the final 35 minutes.
Izzy Firth (1 cap), Charlotte Brookes (4 caps) and Lily Pereira dos Santos (5 caps) are the other previously-capped players of a 32-strong, largely refreshed cohort for the 2026 campaign.
England U18 Women face Ireland at the IRFU High Performance Centre on 22nd March (13:00 BST kick-off) to round off preparations for this year’s Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival, hosted at Wellington College.
James Cooper said: “This first warm-up fixture is an important step for us as we begin the Six Nations block, and the overall aim is to build on the work done in camps so far, give meaningful game time to all players and refine some of the ways we want to play moving forward.
“Narrowing the squad down to 32 was incredibly tough given the quality and commitment the wider group has shown, but that selection pressure is exactly where we want this pathway to be.
“The players have trained with real intensity and connection, and now it’s about transferring that detail and cohesion into a competitive match environment.”
England U18 Women’s first-half squad to face Hartpury (includes PDG site, school/college and England U18 caps)
15 Izzy Firth (Nolli Waterman PDG, Exeter, 1 cap)
14 Alice Fleming (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
13 Meghan Crilly (Becky Essex PDG, Loughborough, uncapped)
12 Lavinia Natui (Becky Essex PDG, Oaklands, uncapped)
11 Isla Apiafi (Emma Mitchell PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
10 Charlotte Brookes (Rachael Burford PDG, 4 caps)
9 Summer Smith (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, City of Oxford, uncapped)
1 Lotte Peirsegaele (Emma Mitchell PDG, City of Oxford, uncapped)
2 Mali Hill (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
3 Ruby Ross (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands, uncapped)
4 Holly Bagnowiec (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
5 Charlie Williams (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
6 Hannah Foley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, City of Oxford, uncapped)
7 Rowan Turney (Rachael Burford PDG, Exeter College, uncapped)
8 Honey Kerslake (c) (Nolli Waterman PDG, Exeter, 4 caps)
Replacements
Eva Larkai (Rachael Burford PDG, Worthing, uncapped)
Rosalyn Civil (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
England U18 Women’s second-half squad to face Hartpury (includes PDG site, school/college and England U18 caps)
15 Jemima Mitchell (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands, uncapped)
14 Lily Pereira dos Santos (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands, 5 caps)
13 Scarlett Beech (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands, uncapped)
12 Rosalyn Civil (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
11 Millie Walker (Becky Essex PDG, Loughborough, uncapped)
10 Beth Hall (Nolli Waterman PDG, Exeter, uncapped)
9 Alix Ahad (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands College, uncapped)
1 Isabella Lyndon (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
2 Darcey Howchin (c) (Jo Yapp PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
3 Eva Larkai (Rachael Burford PDG, Worthing, uncapped)
4 Leila Crick (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, Oaklands, uncapped)
5 Evie Collingbourne (Rachael Burford PDG, Worthing, uncapped)
6 Amelia Rockley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG, uncapped)
7 Alesia de Mello Leitao (Becky Essex PDG, Loughborough, uncapped)
8 Christal Koroiyadi (Becky Essex PDG, Loughborough, uncapped)
Replacements
Saffiya Smaili (Emma Mitchell PDG, Hartpury, uncapped)
Martha Hallam (Karen Almond PDG, Loughborough, uncapped)
England’s 2026 Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival fixtures
Hartpury College vs. England U18 Women (warm-up friendly) – Saturday 7h March – 12:30 GMT kick-off – Hartpury College
Ireland U18 Women vs. England U18 Women (warm-up friendly) – Sunday 22nd March – 13:00 BST kick-off – IRFU High Performance Centre
Under-18 Women’s 2026 Six Nations Festival Matchday 1 – Wales vs. England – Thursday 2nd April – 16:30 BST kick-off – Wellington College
Under-18 Women’s 2026 Six Nations Festival Matchday 2 – England vs. Scotland – Monday 6th April – 12:00 BST kick-off – Wellington College*
Under-18 Women’s 2026 Six Nations Festival Matchday 2 – Ireland vs. England – Monday 6th April – 13:00 BST kick-off – Wellington College *
Under-18 Women’s 2026 Six Nations Festival Matchday 3 – France vs. England – Friday 10th April – 16:30 BST kick-off – Wellington College
*denotes a 35-minute fixture
With thanks to the RFU
