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Richards, whose side finished second in the 2002 World Cup, has named a squad of 43 players, 28 of which have already been named in England’s tour to New Zealand next month. The wider squad will take part in all England training sessions and will be battling for places for next year’s Six Nations and World Cup campaigns.
There are five new additions to the England Elite squad who finished the 2004/2005 season with second place in the Six Nations championship.
Second-row Becky Essex joins her Worcester teammate Alice Richardson, who has already been named in the squad to tour New Zealand while Clifton RFC and Lichfield are represented by prop Sophie Hemming and second-row Emma Dresser respectively.
Flanker Jane Leonard teams up with Thirsk teammate Tamara Taylor, who will also tour New Zealand.
Heather Fisher of Clifton and Taylor have both been recalled to the squad.
Richards said about the new England Elite squad members: “All these players have performed well in the Super 4s. All of them have shown that they can play at this level and hopefully have the potential to step up again and I’m sure they’ll grab the opportunity with open arms.
“With this squad we are in a much stronger position than we were four years ago for the 2002 World Cup. We have greater strength in depth in all positions. I am very excited about the squad and we are looking forward to kicking off our World Cup preparations which starts with our tour to New Zealand next month.”
Katherine Merchant (Worcester) and Claire Frost (Saracens) have not been considered because of injuries.
RFUW ENGLAND ELITE SQUAD
1. ALPHONSI, MARGARET (Saracens) Flanker
2. ANDREW, KAREN (Saracens) fly-half
3. APPLEBY, SUSIE (Clifton) scrum-half
4. BARBER, KERRY (Worcester) Flanker
5. BARRAS, CHARLOTTE (Lichfield) Wing
6. BAKER, SHANNON (Richmond) Flanker
7. BURFORD, RACHEL (Henley) Centre
8. CLARK, ROCHELLE (Henley) Prop
9. CLAYTON, HELEN (Saracens Flanker
10. COOKE, EMILY (Clifton) Wing
11. CRAWFORD, NICKY (Worcester) Wing
12. DAY, SUE (Wasps) Full back
13. DAWSON, HANNAH (Thirsk) Prop
14. DRESSER, EMMA (Lichfield) 2nd row
15. ESSEX, BECKY (Worcester) 2nd row
16. FISHER, HEATHER (Clifton) Flanker
17. GARNETT, AMY (Saracens) hooker
18. GRAY, VANESSA (Wasps) prop
19. HEMMING, SOPHIE (Clifton) prop
20. HUXFORD, VANESSA (Wasps) prop
21. JONES, KAREN (Wasps) 8
22. LEONARD, JANE (Thirsk) flanker
23. MARSH, SARAH (Wasps) wing
24. MASARELLA, VICKY (Saracens) full-back
25. McLEAN, KATIE (Thirsk) fly-half
26. MOULDING, LOIS (Worcester) flanker
27. O’FLYNN, ANN (Lichfield) hooker
28. OLIVER, KIM (Clifton) centre
29. RAE, SHELLEY(Wasps) Fly-half
30. RICHARDSON, ALICE (Worcester) Fly-half
31. RUDGE, SELENA (Wasps) hooker
32. SHAYLOR, KIM (Worcester) wing
33. SPENCER, CATHERINE (Folkestone) No. 8
34. STANIFORD, MICHAELA (Henley) centre
35. STEVENS, GEORGIA (Clifton) flanker
36. STORIE, KATY (Clifton) prop
37. SUTTON, JENNY (Richmond) 2nd row
38. TAYLOR, TAMARA (Thirsk) 2nd row
39. TURNER, AMY (Wasps) 9
40. VETCH, SHAUNA (Thirsk) centre
41. VICKERS, RACHEL (Richmond) 2nd row
42. WATERMAN, DANIELLE (Henley) Scrum-half
43. YAPP, JO (Worcester) Scrum-half
England 28 squad to tour New Zealand
Alphonsi, Maggie (Saracens) flanker
Andrew, Karen (Saracens), fly-half
Baker, Shannon (Clifton), flanker
Barras, Charlotte (Lichfield), wing
Clarke, Rochelle (Henley), prop
Clayton, Helen (Saracens), flanker
Crawford, Nicky (Worcester), wing
Dawson, Hannah (Thirsk), prop
Day, Sue (Wasps), full-back
Garnett, Amy (Saracens), hooker
Gray, Vanessa (Wasps), prop
Huxford, Vanessa (Wasps), prop
Jones, Karen (Wasps), no. 8
Massarella, Vicky (Saracens), full-back
O’Flynn, Anne (Lichfield), hooker
Oliver, Kim (Clifton), centre
Richardson, Alice (Worcester), fly-half
Rudge, Selena (Wasps), hooker
Shaylor, Kim (Worcester), wing
Spencer, Catherine (Clifton), No. 8
Staniford, Michaela (Henley), centre
Stevens, Georgia (Clifton), flanker
Sutton, Jenny (Richmond), second-row
Taylor, Tamara (Thirsk), second-row
Turner, Amy (Wasps), scrum-half
Vickers, Rachel (Richmond), second-row
Waterman, Danielle (Henley), scrum-half
Yapp, Jo (Worcester), C, scrum-half
Forthcoming tour schedule
England v Samoa October 15, The Ericsson Stadium
England v New Zealand A October 19, Venue TBC
England v Black Ferns October 22, Eden Park Auckland
England v Black Ferns October 26 Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
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