England Women Head Coach Stuart Barrow names National Performance squad for Roses clash

Twelve Rhinos have been named by England Women Head Coach Stuart Barrow, in a 45-strong National Performance squad as preparations continue for the mid-season international against France in Toulouse on Saturday 29 June.

Newly-crowned Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup winners St Helens are well represented with Player of the Match, Zoe Harris, included for the first time since the 2022 Rugby League World Cup alongside fourteen of her teammates.

The remaining 30 players in the National Performance Squad are drawn from five Betfred Women’s Super League sides – Featherstone Rovers, Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and champions York Valkyrie.

Training sessions will take place next Wednesday (19 June) involving squads representing Lancashire and Yorkshire with both teams consisting of senior England players alongside those currently involved in the Knights.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire sides will then face off in a War of the Roses fixture at Dewsbury Rams on Saturday 22 June before Barrow names his squad to face France.

England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, said: “Firstly, I must congratulate both Leeds Rhinos and St Helens for producing another brilliant Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium last weekend. The record crowd and number of viewers watching at home is a testament to the high-quality Women’s Rugby League on display that day.

“With the mid-season international on the horizon it’s time for us to continue that positive momentum and I’m looking forward to linking up with our Lancashire and Yorkshire based squads for our War of the Roses game next Saturday.

“The same fixture last Autumn was extremely competitive and was a good learning experience for both players and staff. Much like last year, the game will be an opportunity for each squad to test themselves against Super Leagues’ best with a place in France up for grabs – it should be a fantastic game.

“When we announced our Senior and Knights squads at the beginning of the year it was always planned that we would give them this opportunity to train and play together at the mid-season point and we have another Origin game scheduled for the Autumn which will operate on a selection basis.”

England Women take on France at 3.30pm (local time) on Saturday 29 June, followed by the Men’s international at 6pm. Both matches will be streamed live from Stade Ernest-Wallon on Super League+, Rugby League’s global, direct-to-consumer streaming service.

SuperLeague+ is available online at superleague.co.uk/superleagueplus, via the SuperLeague+ app on iOS and Android devices and on connected TV platforms (Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV). 

France Under 19s will travel in the opposite direction just three days later to take on England Academy at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium on Tuesday 2 July (KO 7.30pm).

Toulouse Olympique's Betfred Championship match against Featherstone Rovers will also be played at Stade Ernest-Wallon on Saturday 29 June, with a 9pm kick off.  

Lancashire

Emily Baggaley (St Helens), Grace Banks (Wigan Warriors), Leah Burke (St Helens), Mary Coleman (Wigan Warriors), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Anna Davies, Eva Hunter, Molly Jones (both Wigan Warriors), Zoe Harris, Tara Jones, Katie Mottershead (all St Helens), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Izzy Rowe (Wigan Warriors), Emily Rudge, Lucy Sams, Beri Salihi, Erin Stott, Georgia Sutherland (all St Helens), Tara Jane Stanley (York Valkyrie), Amy Taylor, Paige Travis (both St Helens), Megan Williams, Victoria Whitfield (both St Helens)

Yorkshire

Amelia Brown (Huddersfield Giants), Caitlin Beevers (Leeds Rhinos), Chloe Billington (Featherstone Rovers), Jasmine Bell (York Valkyrie), Keara Bennett, Caitlin Casey, Ruby Enright, Grace Field (all Leeds Rhinos), Live Gale (York Valkyrie), Amy Hardcastle (Leeds Rhinos), Georgie Hetherington (York Valkyrie), Phoebe Hook (St Helens), Shona Hoyle, Zoe Hornby (both Leeds Rhinos), Emma Kershaw (York Valkyrie), Lucy Murray, Izzy Northrop (both Leeds Rhinos), Jess Sharp (York Valkyrie), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Dannielle Waters (Featherstone Rovers), Liv Whitehead (Leeds Rhinos) and Liv Wood (York Valkyrie)