JAS BELL has credited her York team-mates for the fact she is less than two weeks away from a potential England debut.
The 26-year-old has made Stuart Barrow’s 20-player squad to face Australia in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 2 (2am UK time).
The selection comes just five months after being a part of the Valkyrie side that created history by becoming the first Women’s Super League side to retain their title.
In what proved to be a difficult year off the field for Bell, these two accolades mean that the tough times and the hard work over the winter have paid off.
Now all she has to do is earn a spot in the matchday 17.
“I never thought I’d be in the squad when it was cut down to 20, so to be getting ready to fly out to Vegas is crazy,” Bell told League Express.
“The nerves are kicking in now though. When Stu (Barrow) told me I was in the 20 I was buzzing, but I realise there is now another job to do to actually get into the side.
“All I can do now is train hard out on the field and try to the best version of me that I can be. Then we will see what happens.
“I had a pretty tough time off the field last season. There were a couple deaths in my family, people I was really close to, but the girls at York are my second family so they were a real support for me.
“Dealing with those personal things could have gone one of two ways, I could have spiralled, not gone to training and just shut myself off, but I knew all my best mates at York had my back.
“They helped me through it and that has helped me get to this point.
“Rugby remained a focus for me, so to go on and win another Grand Final, retain the title, make the 31-player squad and now this squad means it’s been an unreal six months.”