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Five PWR players whose stock rose at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup
By Joe Harvey
Across the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup a host of players enjoyed landmark performances on the biggest stage of all.
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In just over two weeks’ time Premiership Women’s Rugby will start its 2025/26 season as Harlequins host Loughborough Lightning on Friday 24 October with a whole host of players set to get back into the swing of domestic action.
Ahead of that new campaign RugbyPass’ Joe Harvey has identified five PWR players that saw their stock rise at the World Cup and will want to keep the good times rolling for their clubs.
Morwenna Talling | Sale Sharks & England
As the Rugby World Cup wore on it became apparent just how important Morwenna Talling was to John Mitchell’s Red Roses.
The 23-year-old lock and back-row played in five of England’s six matches at the tournament and started all three knockout games as the side lifted silverware in front of a sold out Allianz Stadium.
Talling completed 91 tackles across the tournament. 13 of those tackles were dominant.
It was as no-nonsense as it gets from the Sale Sharks forward. It is form that will come as a welcome boost to her club’s new head coach, Tom Hudson, who has overseen plenty of change in the North West during his first months in charge.
This has included the arrival of fellow Red Roses internationals Holly Aitchison and Amy Cokayne, along with Scotland internationals Evie Wills, Rhona Lloyd and Leah Bartlett.
Evie Gallagher | Bristol Bears & Scotland
Scotland’s Evie Gallagher was a frightening prospect to contend with. The 25-year-old flanker was a mainstay for her team as they reached a first quarter-final appearance in over 20 years.
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Simply put she did everything that you want of a back-row forward. Despite not playing in the final two rounds of the competition, Gallagher hit the most defensive rucks of any player (53), won four turnovers, hit 76 attacking rucks and made 72 tackles.
You throw in two tries in the competition and a Mastercard Player of the Match performance against Fiji, it really was a career defining tournament.
A return to Bristol Bears will see Gallagher combine with the likes of Gwennan Hopkins and Rownita Marston-Mulhearn.
DaLeaka Menin | Exeter Chiefs & Canada
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DaLeaka Menin’s Rugby World Cup campaign was the perfect display of an all-court prop forward.
The Exeter Chiefs and Canada tighthead prop did everything. She carried the ball 72 times for her country, made 220 metres and beat nine defenders in attack. In defence the 30-year-old was similarly effective with 61 tackles and three turnovers.
Menin was also part of the World Cup’s most effective scrum. Ahead of the final Canada had 100 per cent effectiveness from their own scrums, something that was only broken by the Red Roses at Allianz Stadium.
As a starter in all six of her team’s game in the tournament, which included the full 80 minutes in the semi-final win over the Black Ferns, and her work at tighthead went a long way to taking the North Americans to the last two.
Kelsey Clifford | Saracens & England
Kelsey Clifford played her part in all six of England’s Rugby World Cup matches as the Red Roses became world champions for the third time.
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The 23-year-old loosehead prop crossed the try line five times and ended the World Cup with two assists.
But aside from her ability to find a scoring touch, Clifford provided a calm consistency at the set piece and, after she was thrust into a starting role in the quarter-final against Scotland following Hannah Botterman’s back injury, provided faultless performances.
Clifford now returns to Saracens and StoneX Stadium to compete for a starting spot in the front-row against McKinley Hunt, Liz Crake and Akina Gondwe.
Erica Jarrell-Searcy | Sale Sharks & USA
There were few players that saw their stock rise higher than Erica Jarrell-Searcy.
The Sale Sharks and USA Women’s Eagles second row took part in three matches as her country failed to make it out of the group stages, but in each of her 240 minutes on the field the 26-year-old was a commanding presence in the North Americans’ pack.
In each of her outings the lock dotted down for the Eagles, including a memorable effort at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light for what proved to be the USA’s sole counterpunch to a rampant Red Roses side.
Resolute in defence, tireless with ball in hand and someone relied on to play a full 80 minutes, Jarrell-Searcy will be a key player for Sharks as they aim to make the semi-finals for the first time.
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