17 women get England Sevens contracts

ENGLAND Rugby has awarded 17 women’s Sevens contracts for the upcoming season.

The women’s squad moved from their present base at Bisham Abbey to join the men’s set-up at the Lensbury in Teddington from yesterday.

This will provide both the men’s and women’s squads the opportunity to share facilities and best practice.

Nine of those named for this season featured in England’s bronze medalwinning Commonwealth Games squad earlier this year, eight of whom then went on to represent England in the Rugby World Cup Sevens alongside Holly Aitchison, who had been unavailable for Commonwealth selection due to injury.

Emily Scarratt, Heather Fisher, Natasha Hunt, Abbie Brown and Claire Allan bring a wealth of experience to the squad, having also represented Team GB in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

They are joined by fellow Commonwealth bronze medallists Megan Jones, who travelled to Rio as a non-playing reserve, Alex Matthews, Deborah Fleming and Jess Breach.

There are seven new names in the squad. Among them is 18-year-old Ellie Kildunne, who makes the transition from 15s, having scored nine tries in eight appearances for the Red Roses last season.

Lizzie Adam and Celia Quanash made their England debuts in the first leg of the 2018 Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Grand Prix Series in Marcoussis, France earlier in the summer and are among the new recruits.

Emma Uren, who captained England Women U20s earlier this year in the side’s first victory over France, Abi Burton, Emma Hardy and Helena Rowland have all progressed through the performance pathway to the squad having represented England in age grade teams.

England Women Sevens head coach James Bailey said: “There’s a real excitement about the squad.”