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Detysha Harper called up by England to replace injured Laura Keates

By Matt Merritt
Detysha Harper is tackled by Sarah Hunter of England looks on during a England Red Roses Training Session at Pennyhill Park on August 18, 2022 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England prop Laura Keates has been forced to withdraw from their Rugby World Cup squad due to injury.

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Keates, 34, injured her anterior cruciate ligament in training, a cruel blow for a player who was forced to withdraw from the 2017 World Cup squad due to an achilles injury that would see her out of the game for 19 months.

Keates will remain in New Zealand with her family for the duration of the tournament.

The Red Roses have called up Loughborough Lightning’s Detysha Harper as replacement. The 24 year old predominantly plays loosehead, likely meaning Maud Muir will be utilised more on the right hand side of the scrum. Harper has appeared 5 times for England, including appearances in the 2020 and 2021 Six Nations. She is expected to link up with the squad on Monday.

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Jon 9 hours ago
Why Sam Cane's path to retirement is perfect for him and the All Blacks

> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.

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