England Women's head coach Craig Richards has announced his 24-player squad for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup, with the uncapped Zoe Hornby being included.
Hornby, who delivered a Player of the Match performance for Leeds Rhinos in this year’s Betfred Women's Challenge Cup final, joins her club teammates Dannielle Anderson, Caitlin Beevers, Keara Bennet, Fran Goldthorp, Georgia Roche and Courtney Winfield-Hill in representing the national team.
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Along with Roche and Winfield-Hill (the Australian-born star who declared for England earlier this year), Richards’ group includes all four winners of the Woman of Steel award since its inception in 2018, with the newly-crowned Tara-Jane Stanley and Jodie Cunningham making the list.
Leeds Rhinos’ seven inclusions in the squad is only bettered by Challenge Cup winners St Helens, who have seen 11 players called up, including Cunningham.
On the announcement of the squad, Richards said: “The process to select the final squad ahead of the Rugby League World Cup has been a difficult one, but I am confident I have picked the strongest squad available to me.
“I think we’re in a really privileged position to have some experienced players in the squad such as captain Emily Rudge who is heading into her fourth Rugby League World Cup, our all-time top try-scorer Amy Hardcastle, and players like Jodie Cunningham, Courtney Winfield-Hill and Tara-Jane Stanley.
“In contrast, we also have some very exciting younger players with the likes of Hollie Dodd, Fran Goldthorp and Zoe Hornby.
“With just over a month before we kick it all off at Headingley Stadium against Brazil we are excited, focused and determined to make the most of this huge opportunity for Women’s Rugby League.”
England’s opener against Brazil on Tuesday 1 November will be watched by a record attendance for a Women’s Rugby League fixture. They will then face Canada at Wigan’s DW Stadium on Saturday 5 November before a final group stage fixture back in Leeds against Papua New Guinea the following Wednesday.
England Women's World Cup Squad:
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Dannielle Anderson (Leeds Rhinos)
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Caitlin Beevers (Leeds Rhinos)
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Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos)
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Leah Burke (St Helens)
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Jodie Cunningham (both St Helens)
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Hollie Dodd (York City Knights)
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Grace Field (York City Knights)
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Fran Goldthorp (Leeds Rhinos)
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Amy Hardcastle (St Helens)
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Zoe Harris (St Helens)
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Zoe Hornby (Leeds Rhinos)
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Shona Hoyle (St Helens)
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Tara Jones (St Helens)
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Vicky Molyneux (Wigan Warriors)
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Carrie Roberts (St Helens)
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Georgia Roche (Leeds Rhinos)
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Emily Rudge (St Helens)
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Tara-Jane Stanley (York City Knights)
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Beth Stott (St Helens)
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Paige Travis (St Helens)
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Courtney Winfield-Hill (Leeds Rhinos)
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Vicky Whitfield (St Helens)
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Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors)
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Olivia Wood (York City Knights)
