Packer 'not hanging up boots any time soon'

England flanker Marlie Packer says she is "not hanging up her boots any time soon" after winning a second World Cup with the Red Roses.

The 36-year-old was England's vice captain for the tournament and one of only four players still in the squad who were also crowned world champions in 2014.

Packer won her 112th cap in the group-stage win over Samoa, her only appearance in the tournament.

"I'm going to go and enjoy playing for Saracens for a little while and I'll make decisions but at the moment I'm contracted with the Red Roses until June 2026 - [I'm] not hanging up my boots any time soon," Packer told BBC Radio Somerset.

"It's more of a case I just want to enjoy this time with my club, with my family and then when I decide to make decisions I will."

Packer, the World Player of the Year in 2023, was replaced as England captain by Zoe Aldcroft in January after two seasons in the role but she returned to skipper the side for their World Cup warm-up win against Spain in August.

The Yeovil-born back-row forward said her focus following a week of celebrations after clinching the trophy at Twickenham was already on returning to her club for the new Premiership Women's Rugby season, which begins on 24 October.

"I feel the fittest, the best I've felt in a long time - this run-up to the World Cup I've got myself in great shape," Packer said.

"We've got a repeat of [last season's] PWR final in two weeks' time - Saracens versus Gloucester, in Gloucester. That's where my head's at."

Packer said she wanted to inspire son Oliver to believe he can achieve anything he aspires to

Packer was in the England side that was beaten in the World Cup final by New Zealand in 2021.

She said seeing Twickenham packed with 82,000 fans for this year's final, in which the Red Roses defeated Canada 33-13, and the reaction to the team during the tournament has been "special, at times overwhelming", adding: "[Its'] just the sense of achievement."

While inspiring the nation to fall in love with women's rugby was a huge driving factor for the England team at their home World Cup, Packer's main inspiration was closer to home - her five-year-old son Oliver.

"I wanted to inspire him to achieve anything he put his mind to," she said.

"There's a picture of me lifting the trophy and he's just looking up at me and that, for me, is what this was all about.

"It was about inspiring a nation, it was about winning this World Cup, but for me it was massively about him - he's been my driving force to get me to where I am right now."