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England: meet the next generation hoping to make an impact
By Joe Harvey
Every Women’s Rugby World Cup winning team goes through its changes. So, when England’s Red Roses name their next squad, there could be some unfamiliar faces.
We are currently in the midst of Premiership Women’s Rugby’s winter break.
The competition is finely poised and, even though players have no doubt enjoyed Christmas, plenty will want to be in John Mitchell’s England thoughts.
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After eight rounds of the competition some players have certainly outlined why they should be wearing a Red Rose on their chest during the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
With the retirement of two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Emily Scarratt, the Red Roses lost 119 caps worth of experience. Replacing the legendary centre will be no easy feat, but someone has to do it.
That is before you consider that England boss John Mitchell may want to rotate his squad anyway. And there have been people making their case for selection.
Sarah Parry has been in fine form for Harlequins as the London club entered the winter break third in the table. Only 17 when she made her senior debut for Jo Yapp’s Worcester Warriors, now 20 she has developed into a powerful midfield player.
Now having developed a strong partnership with Spain’s Claudia Pena. This season Parry has made 71 carries for Quins in attack, crossed the gainline on 37 occasions and scored three tries in attack. You then throw in her 66 tackles too, then you slowly get an idea what the 20-year-old’s game is all about.
Much of the same can be said for Loughborough Lightning’s Carmela Morrall. Much like Parry she has been a constant in her club’s starting XV and has been a key performer for the club that sits fifth in the table after seven games played.
From 80 carries Dubai-raised Morrall has made 197 metres with the ball and even made her 50th appearance for the club against Saracens at the start of December.
There is little doubt that Morrall has been helped by the talent either side of her. Playing inside of USA Women’s Eagle Alev Kelter and outside of Scotland fly-half Helen Nelson is an excellent comfort blanket that can help the 21-year-old thrive on an even bigger stage.
Then comes the curious case of Maddie Flutey. The daughter of former England and British & Irish Lions back, Riki, came to England on a short-term deal and ended that time with an England U21 call-up.
In two PWR outings, the versatile Flutey – who is just as comfortable at fly-half as she is centre or full-back – was able to show the attributes of her game that led to a New Zealand U18 call-up earlier in 2025.
Eligible for England, New Zealand and Samoa, it may well be the case that England want to lock down her immediate future.
Much like Flutey, Haineala Lutui is the daughter of an ex-professional rugby player. The England U20 international is the daughter of former Tonga hooker, Aleki, and has had a breakthrough campaign for Lightning and tops PWR for carries eight rounds in (110).
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Those carries have yielded two tries for the No.8, who has also started at lock this season, and bashed down the door to open up opportunities for her team to attack.
Her dynamism and sheer explosiveness sets her apart to plenty of others in England. So seeing her get a chance in England’s senior setup is a mouthwatering prospect.
Nicole Wythe is work-rate personified. A staple in Ross Chisholm’s back-row, the 22-year-old has made 93 carries (second-most in the league) 91 tackles (joint-sixth) from her seven appearances in 2025/26.
It is important to note that Wythe has never played age grade rugby. She is a product of Harlequins and the West London club alone after she graduated from the club’s Centre of Excellence programme.
Since making her debut in 2022/23 she has become a staple of PWR and was named in the league’s Dream Team for the 2024/25 season – even if her campaign was ended early with injury.
In the front-row there is no real cause for concern. Barring injury Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman, Mackenzie Carson, Kelsey Clifford and Maud Muir all have years of Test rugby ahead of them. Although Annabel Meta may have a case.
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Such has been the depth of Trailfinders Women’s back-row stocks, Meta has started to get reps in the front-row for Barney Maddison’s outfit. Early signs suggest that this could be a good move.
We are only in this experiment’s early days, with the England U20 international having made just two front-row appearances from the bench to date but has allowed Trailfinders to get another dominant ball carrier on the pitch.
Half-back is another position group hotly contested. But it does feel as though there could be room for movement as the future hones into view.
Loughborough scrum-half Alicia Maude may only be 23, but she has packed in plenty of rugby into her career.
A staple of the England and Great Britain Sevens programmes for the better part of three years, this has been the first season that Maude has played uninterrupted 15-a-side rugby and has been a key part of a Lightning backline that currently sits fifth in PWR.
Regular rugby has allowed the former England U18 and U20 international to thrive and has partnered seasoned international playmaker Helen Nelson effectively too.
Wing has been a hot topic since Abby Dow announced her retirement from rugby aged 28.
Just who will step into Red Roses camp and contend with Jess Breach, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and Ellie Kildunne in the back three is right up for debate.
Leading the way right now is another Loughborough player, Bo Westcombe Evans. A winner of two England caps in 2024, she has scored five tries so far this season and has seemingly banished the memories of her year-long lay-off with an ACL injury in the process.
Close behind her are Bristol Bears duo Millie David and Reneeqa Bonner. David is the league’s top try scorer after eight rounds with six, while Bonner sits third for metres made (483). She has also scored four tries.
Two of the most exciting young wings in the league, it is more a case of ‘when’ than ‘if’ when it comes to their first Test caps for England.
