England women's national rugby union team
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| Nickname(s) | Red Roses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Red Rose | ||
| Union | Rugby Football Union | ||
| Head coach | Simon Middleton | ||
| Captain | Sarah Hunter | ||
| Most caps | Rochelle Clark (137) | ||
| Top scorer | Emily Scarratt (640) | ||
| Top try scorer | Sue Day (61) | ||
| Home stadium | Twickenham | ||
| |||
| World Rugby ranking | |||
| Current | 1 (as of 23 November 2020) | ||
| Highest | 1 (2012–2013, 2014–2015, 2017, 2020–) | ||
| Lowest | 4 (2015) | ||
| First international | |||
 England 22-4 Wales  (5 April 1987) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
England 101–0 South Africa  (14 May 2005) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 New Zealand 67–0 England (13 August 1997) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 8 (First in 1991) | ||
| Best result | Champions, 1994, 2014 | ||
The England women's national rugby union team, also known as the Red Roses, represents England in women's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Women's Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on a total of 16 out of 25 occasions – winning the Grand Slam 15 times and the Triple Crown 21 times – making them the most successful side in the tournament's history. They won the Women's Rugby World Cup in 1994 and 2014, and have been runners-up on five other occasions. Their coach is Simon Middleton.
History[]
Until 2009 the badge and logo of England women's national teams was significantly different from that worn by men's teams. However, in 2009 – in anticipation of the merger between the RFU and RFUW – England teams adopted the men's rose.[citation needed]
England have taken part in every Women's Rugby World Cup competition, winning in 1994 and 2014 and finishing as runner-up on four other occasions.
The 1995/1996 season saw the introduction of a Home Nations Championship between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which England won in its inaugural year. England won the Championship every year except from the 1997/98 season when Scotland won it. France joined the competition in the 1998/99 season making it the Five Nations Championship with England achieving the Grand Slam in three successive seasons. In the 2001/02 season, Ireland rejoined the fold in preparation for the World Cup, and the competition expanded to be known as the Six Nations, since when England have finished lower than runner-up on only 2 occasions, in 2013 and 2015 respectively, and have won the title on 9 separate occasions, including in 7 consecutive tournaments between 2006 and 2012 and the Grand Slam on 8 more occasions, including 3 times in a row between 2006–2008 and 2010–2012, respectively.
Results[]
See List of England women's national rugby union team matches
Players[]
Current squad[]
On 26 March England announced their squad for the upcoming 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship[1]
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Franchise / province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Cokayne | Hooker | 11 July 1996 (aged 24) | 53 | Harlequins |
| Lark Davies | Hooker | 3 March 1995 (aged 26) | 28 | Loughborough Lightning |
| Hannah Botterman | Prop | 8 June 1999 (aged 21) | 20 | Saracens |
| Shaunagh Brown | Prop | 15 March 1990 (aged 31) | 18 | Harlequins |
| Bryony Cleall | Prop | 12 June 1992 (aged 28) | 1 | Saracens |
| Victoria Cornborough | Prop | 3 March 1990 (aged 31) | 56 | Harlequins |
| Flo Long | Prop | 0 | Worcester Warriors | |
| Ellena Perry | Prop | 10 | Gloucester-Hartpury | |
| Zoe Aldcroft | Lock | 19 November 1996 (aged 24) | 20 | Gloucester-Hartpury |
| Maud Muir | Lock | 0 | Wasps | |
| Catherine O'Donnell | Lock | 13 June 1996 (aged 25) | 16 | Loughborough Lightning |
| Emily Robinson | Lock | 0 | Harlequins | |
| Abbie Ward | Lock | 27 March 1993 (aged 27) | 45 | Harlequins |
| Sarah Beckett | Back row | 14 February 1999 (aged 22) | 20 | Harlequins |
| Poppy Cleall | Back row | 12 June 1992 (aged 28) | 43 | Saracens |
| Victoria Fleetwood | Back row | 13 April 1990 (aged 30) | 76 | Saracens |
| Sarah Hunter (c) | Back row | 19 September 1985 (aged 35) | 123 | Loughborough Lightning |
| Alex Matthews | Back row | 3 August 1993 (aged 27) | 40 | Worcester Warriors |
| Harriet Millar-Mills | Back row | 16 April 1991 (aged 29) | 58 | Wasps |
| Marlie Packer | Back row | 2 October 1989 (aged 31) | 74 | Saracens |
| Claudia MacDonald | Scrum-half | 4 January 1996 (aged 25) | 12 | Wasps |
| Leanne Riley | Scrum-half | 18 July 1993 (aged 27) | 40 | Harlequins |
| Flo Robinson | Scrum-half | 0 | Exeter Chiefs | |
| Ellie Green | Fly-half | 0 | Harlequins | |
| Zoe Harrison | Fly-half | 14 April 1998 (aged 22) | 27 | Saracens |
| Megan Jones | Fly-half | 23 October 1996 (aged 24) | 10 | Wasps |
| Helena Rowland | Fly-half | 30 June 1999 (aged 21) | 3 | Loughborough Lightning |
| Amber Reed | Centre | 3 March 1991 (aged 30) | 58 | Bristol Bears |
| Emily Scarratt | Centre | 8 February 1990 (aged 31) | 92 | Loughborough Lightning |
| Lagi Tuima | Centre | 16 June 1998 (aged 22) | 6 | Harlequins |
| Jessica Breach | Wing | 4 November 1997 (aged 23) | 15 | Harlequins |
| Abigail Dow | Wing | 29 September 1998 (aged 22) | 15 | Wasps |
| Lydia Thompson | Wing | 10 February 1992 (aged 29) | 46 | Worcester Warriors |
| Beth Wilcock | Wing | 0 | Harlequins | |
| Merryn Doidge | Fullback | 0 | Exeter Chiefs | |
| Ellie Kildunne | Fullback | 8 September 1999 (aged 21) | 11 | Wasps |
| Sarah McKenna | Fullback | 23 March 1989 (aged 32) | 32 | Saracens |
Honours[]
- Winners (16): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020
- Grand Slam (15): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020
- Triple Crown (21): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
References[]
- ^ "Red Roses Announce Squad for Upcoming 2020 Women's Six Nations". England Rugby. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ James Riach. "England 21-9 Canada – Women's rugby World Cup match report". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to England women's national rugby union team. |
- England Rugby Website
- England Women’s rugby page at The Independent
- England women's national rugby union team
- European national women's rugby union teams
- Women's rugby union teams in England