Women's Rugby League World Cup: England name squad
- Published
England's opening Group A match against Brazil on 1 November at Headingley will set an attendance record
England head coach Craig Richards has named 18 players from Leeds Rhinos or St Helens in his 24-woman squad for this autumn's Rugby League World Cup.
Jodie Cunningham and captain Emily Rudge are among 11 players representing 2022 Challenge Cup winners St Helens.
Australia-born Courtney Winfield-Hill and uncapped Zoe Hornby are two of the seven from Grand Final winners Leeds.
The squad features all four winners of the Woman of Steel Award, which was introduced in 2018.
Current Woman of Steel, York City Knights' full-back Tara-Jane Stanley, is included in the squad.
The only surprise omission is that of Stanley's club team-mate Sinead Peach, with the hooker also shortlisted for the player of the year award.
"I am confident I have picked the strongest squad available to me," Richards said.
"We are 100% sure we can win it. There are a couple of nations where we will need to be at our best and we need some things to go our way, but we are really confident.
"I think we're in a really privileged position to have some experienced players in the squad such as captain Emily Rudge, who is heading into her fourth Rugby League World Cup, our all-time top try-scorer Amy Hardcastle, and players like Jodie Cunningham, Courtney Winfield-Hill and Tara-Jane Stanley.
Winfield-Hill, who was named the 2019 Woman of Steel, played cricket for both Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat in Australia before switching sports.
The 35-year-old qualifies for England via residency having lived in the country since 2018.
Richards added: "With just over a month before we kick it all off at Headingley against Brazil we are excited, focused and determined to make the most of this huge opportunity for women's rugby league."
England's opening Group A match against Brazil on 1 November at Headingley is already guaranteed to be watched by a record attendance for an England women's rugby league fixture.
Richards' side then face Canada at Wigan's DW Stadium on 5 November before their final group-stage match back in Leeds against Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, 9 November.
The men's and women's double-header final at Old Trafford on Saturday, 19 November is heading for a sell-out, with organisers expecting record-breaking ticket sales for this year's tournament.
England's World Cup squad
Dannielle Anderson, Caitlin Beevers, Keara Bennett (all Leeds Rhinos), Leah Burke, Jodie Cunningham (both St Helens), Hollie Dodd, Grace Field (both York City Knights), Fran Goldthorp (Leeds Rhinos), Amy Hardcastle, Zoe Harris (both St Helens), Zoe Hornby (Leeds Rhinos), Shona Hoyle, Tara Jones (both St Helens), Vicky Molyneux (Wigan Warriors), Carrie Roberts (St Helens), Georgia Roche (Leeds Rhinos), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Tara-Jane Stanley (York City Knights), Beth Stott, Paige Travis (both St Helens), Courtney Winfield-Hill (Leeds Rhinos), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors), Olivia Wood (York City Knights).
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