Red Roses make 'lethal exciting rugby' promise as WXV Global Series training squad announced

England’s Red Roses have announced a 40-player training squad that will begin preparations for the WXV Global Series this week.

John Mitchell’s squad is comprised of 22 forwards and 18 backs, and will gather at the University of Nottingham on Monday 3 August to begin a three week preseason training stint.

There are six uncapped players in the squad; Bryony Field, Keevy Fitzpatrick, Hayley Jones, Annabel Meta, Amelia MacDougall and Carmela Morrall. Field took part in each of Saracens’ league fixtures last season as the club claimed the English league title.

There are also places for five of the six players that received transition contracts for the 2026/27 season: Meta, Millie David, Haineala Lutui and Demelza Short. Sarah Parry is not included.

Gloucester Hartpury pair Alex Matthews and Natasha Hunt, along with Sale Sharks’ Morwenna Talling, who all missed four 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations fixtures and the remainder of the 2025/26 JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby season with injury, are named in the squad too.

Mitchell said: “The naming of this squad is only the beginning; it’s not the reward. These 40 have been selected because we believe they have what it takes to build something real together as a squad; firstly, through building better connections to make us stronger, and then with how we want to play this game.

“We’re identifying the players who we think will buy into the Red Roses spirit; those who will elevate their connections, those who will develop their repeat physical capacity, and those who will approach their skillsets with enthusiasm and show the necessary hunger to compete under pressure. That’s the standard this programme is setting.

“We’re focused on building and playing lethal exciting rugby which requires us to train above the game level with an intensity that allows every selected player to adapt seamlessly into Test rugby when the moment comes. That’s what we do here, and it starts now!”

England start the WXV Global Series with home fixtures against Australia, Canada and New Zealand, before travelling to North America for two Test against Canada and one against the USA Women’s Eagles.

Red Roses squad for pre-season training

Forwards
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 84 caps)
Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
Delaney Burns (Bristol Bears, 6 caps)
Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, 9 caps)
May Campbell (Saracens, 5 caps)
Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester Hartpury, 28 caps)
Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 25 caps)
Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 94 caps)
Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 27 caps)
Bryony Field (Saracens, uncapped)
Keevy Fitzpatrick (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
Haidee Head (Trailfinders Women, 1 cap)
Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, 8 caps)
Hayley Jones (Trailfinders Women, uncapped)
Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 32 caps)
Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning, 4 caps)
Alex Matthews (Gloucester Hartpury, 82 caps)
Annabel Meta (Trailfinders Women, uncapped)
Maud Muir (Gloucester Hartpury, 53 caps)
Marlie Packer (Harlequins, 116 caps)
Demelza Short (Bristol Bears, 4 caps)
Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 29 caps)

Backs
Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks, 49 caps)
Jess Breach (Saracens, 57 caps)
Millie David (Bristol Bears, 1 cap)
Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 70 caps)
Tatyana Heard (Sale Sharks, 36 caps)
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester Hartpury, 89 caps)
Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 38 caps)
Ellie Kildunne (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
Amelia MacDougall (Saracens, uncapped)
Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 40 caps)
Carmela Morrall (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 44 caps)
Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 51 caps)
Jade Shekells (Gloucester Hartpury, 4 caps)
Emma Sing (Gloucester Hartpury, 17 caps)
Mia Venner (Gloucester Hartpury, 4 caps)
Bo Westcombe Evans (Trailfinders Women, 2 caps)