England Women's Rugby Squad Named For WXV 1 Title Defense

Mitchell's side aims to build on successful inaugural campaign in Canada

The Red Roses will kick off their campaign on October 29 against the USA in the first of three matches scheduled for the day /

By Priscilla Jepchumba

John Mitchell has announced the 30 players who will travel to Canada to defend their WXV 1 title. It will be their first time participating in the world event. Lily-Eves Campion and Georgia Brock have been chosen to make their tour debuts, following impressive performances in warm-up matches in France and New Zealand.

“We have selected a strong group of players who have worked hard and smart for each other during the pre-season Test matches. We will use the learnings to improve our game and attack the WXV tournament in Canada with great energy. We now look forward to focusing on our preparations for the USA match,” said Mitchell.

Marley Packer will continue as captain, with Zoe Aldcroft and Natasha Hunt serving as vice-captains from Gloucester-Hartpury. The squad includes 21 players who were part of England's successful first WXV 1 tournament. Additionally, nine players, including Lucy Packer, who was previously named in the squad in 2023 but was unable to play due to injury, will be experiencing WXV for the first time.

The Red Roses will kick off their campaign on October 29 against the USA at BC Place, Vancouver, in the first of three matches scheduled for the day. Canada vs. France and New Zealand vs. Ireland will also take place. Mitchell's team will face defending Women's World Cup champions New Zealand in the second round at the Langley Event Centre, Langley, on October 6.

This weekend, England will play against hosts Canada in the opening match of the tournament on Saturday, October 12, at BC Place. WXV will serve as a buildup to the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, which is less than a year away. The upcoming World Cup, set to take place across eight venues in the UK, is expected to be the biggest in the history of the women's game.

The addition of more international competition through WXV will provide teams with greater preparation opportunities for the World Cup. Despite six WXV 11 teams qualifying for England 2025, there is pressure on WXV 3, with two points at stake. The tournament is scheduled to be held on September 27 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.