Red Roses: 40-player squad announced with duo set to return after Olympic Games

Olympic duo Ellie Kildunne and Meg Jones have been included in the Red Roses’ wider 40-player squad ahead of their blockbuster clashes against New Zealand and France this September. 

Kildunne and Jones were two of England’s key players in the Six Nations-winning campaign. Player of the Tournament Kildunne topped both the try-scorer and points-scorer charts in the Championship, whilst Jones also chipped in with three tries and three assists as England won their third successive Grand Slam.

Captain Marlie Packer

The latest title capped off an exceptional 2023/24 season for the Red Roses, in which they also won the first-ever WXV 1 silverware.

Marlie Packer will once again lead the squad, and star players Hannah Botterman, Zoe Aldcroft, Abby Dow, Mo Hunt, Jess Breech, Poppy Cleall and Emily Scarratt have all been included.

Sarah Beckett, Grace Clifford, Lizzie Hanlon. Sadia Kabeya, Claudia MacDonald, Connie Powell and Mia Venner will also be involved, but will return to their clubs to continue their rehab.

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Mitchell has also included seven uncapped players in the squad, with Gloucester-Hartpury duo Georgia Brock and Steph Else, Exeter Chiefs pair Nancy McGillivray and Katie Buchanan, Loughborough Lightning’s Lilli Ives Campion and Bo Westcombe-Evans and Bristol Bears ace Phoebe Murray all named.

Commenting on the squad, head coach John Mitchell said: “Our first camp of 2024/25 allows us to reset what we stand for and how we will carry ourselves as Red Roses moving forward.”

He added: “Our game is working, and we have an opportunity to dial it up again. There is a massive amount of room to improve individually and evolve our game over the next five weeks.”

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Red Roses squad in full

Forwards: 

Zoe Aldcroft, Maisy Allen, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman, Georgia Brock, May Campbell, Mackenzie Carson, Amy Cokayne, Kelsey Clifford, Poppy Cleall, Liz Crake, Steph Else, Maddie Feaunati, Rosie Galligan, Lilli Ives Campion, Laura Keates, Maud Muir, Cath O’Donnell, Marlie Packer, Simi Pam, Alex Matthews, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward

Backs: 

Holly Aitchison, Jess Breach, Katie Buchanan, Abby Dow, Zoe Harrison, Tatyana Heard, Natasha Hunt, Nancy McGillivray, Sarah McKenna, Phoebe Murray, Lucy Packer, Helena Rowland, Emily Scarratt, Emma Sing, Bo Westcombe-Evans, Ella Wyrwas

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