July 7th, 2006

Three of England Women’s Rugby World Cup players will be supporting Sport Relief on Saturday July 15th by running the Southampton Mile.

England and Wasps trio Vanessa Huxford, Vanessa Gray and Amy Turner, who were all this week named in the 26-player squad to contest the IRB Rugby World Cup in Canada starting on August 29th, have all pledged their support to help raise vital funds for the charity. They will be joined on the run by fellow England Women internationals Rachel Vickers and Emma Layland both of Richmond RFC.

Southampton milers will be treated to an exciting route through some of the city centre's greenest spaces. Starting on Palmerston Rd, milers will pass through three parks, whilst also taking in the bustling shopping centre and historic Bargate close by. Amongst the other famous faces joining in the fun will be Radio 1’s Scott Mills, Amanda Lamb, David Armstrong, Matthew Barney and CBBC’s Dani Harmer.

The Mile finishes in Hoglands Park where tribute band Hard Drive and acrobatic troupe Positive Culture will keep everyone entertained. Southampton FC and Shoot4goal football games will be testing the skills of any budding young Le Tissiers, alongside a whole host of other sports tryout sessions.

For Huxford, Gray and Turner the mile comes just two weeks before they head into an intense three week training camp ahead of their world cup challenge. After finishing as runners-up to the Black Ferns in the 2002 Rugby World Cup in Barcelona the Six Nations Grand Slam Champions will be looking to go one better, though their world cup campaign will kick-off with a tough clash against the powerful US Eagles on the 31st August at Ellerslie Rugby Park. England will then face South Africa and France before the knock-out stages commence.

Ends…

England World Cup Squad

1 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens)
2 Karen Andrew (Saracens)
3 Charlotte Barras (Lichfield)
4 Shannon Baker (Richmond)
5 Rachel Burford (Henley)
6 Rochelle Clarke (Henley)
7 Helen Clayton (Saracens)
8 Nicola Crawford (Worcester)
9 Susan Day  (Wasps)
10 Amy Garnett  (Saracens)
11 Vanessa Gray (Wasps)
12 Vanessa Huxford (Wasps)
13 Jennifer Lyne (Richmond)
14 Kimberley Oliver (Clifton)
15 Shelley Rae  (Wasps)
16 Selena Rudge (Wasps)
17 Kimberley Shaylor (Worcester)
18 Catherine Spencer (Folkestone)
19 Michaela Staniford (Henley)
20 Georgia Stevens (Clifton)
21 Katy Storie  (Clifton)
22 Jennifer Sutton (Richmond)
23 Tamara Taylor (Thirsk)
24 Amy Turner  (Wasps)
25 Danielle Waterman (Henley)
26 Joanna Yapp (C) (Worcester

England’s World Cup Schedule:

August 31st   England v USA at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton,
KO 5.30pm local time
September 4th  England v South Africa at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton    KO 2.30pm local time
September 8th  England v France at St. Albert, Edmonton
   KO 4pm local time
September 12th  Semi-finals:
1st v 4th (M19), St. Albert, KO 5pm local time 
2nd v 3rd (M20), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 5pm local time
5th v 8th (M21), St. Albert, KO 2.30pm local time
6th v 7th (M22), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 2.30pm local time
9th v 12th (M23), St. Albert, KO 12pm local time
10th v 11th (M24), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 12pm
September 16th  Consolation Finals (All Ellerslie Rugby Park):
Loser M21 v Loser M22, KO 5pm
Winner M23 v Winner M24, KO 2.30pm
Loser M23 v Loser M24, KO 12pm   
September 17th  Finals (All at the Commonwealth Stadium)
Winner M21 v Winner M 22, KO 12pm
Loser M19 v Loser M20, KO 2.30pm
Winner M19 v Winner M20, KO 5pm.