By STEPHEN IBBETSON
CRAIG RICHARDS has announced the squad numbers for his England team at the World Cup.
The selections suggest that England could be set for an all-Leeds Rhinos halfback partnership of Georgia Roche and Courtney Winfield-Hill, after receiving numbers six and seven.
The pair, winners of the first two Woman of Steel awards in 2018 and 2019, have been picked for the prime jerseys ahead of St Helens halves Beth Stott and Zoe Harris.
The other two past Woman of Steel winners – Jodie Cunningham, in 2021, and Tara Stanley this season – will wear 13 and one respectively throughout the World Cup.
Caitlin Beevers, Fran Goldthorp, Amy Hardcastle and Leah Burke have received the shirts from two to five, while Saints’ Tara Jones has nine ahead of Leeds’ Keara Bennett.
Grace Field, Dannielle Anderson, Hollie Dodd and England skipper Emily Rudge have the prize pack numbers.
England, who are looking to reach the World Cup final for the first time, open their campaign on Tuesday, November 1, against Brazil at Headingley.
England squad: 1 Tara Stanley, 2 Caitlin Beevers, 3 Fran Goldthorp, 4 Amy Hardcastle, 5 Leah Burke, 6 Georgia Roche, 7 Courtney Winfield-Hill, 8 Grace Field, 9 Tara Jones, 10 Dannielle Anderson, 11 Hollie Dodd, 12 Emily Rudge, 13 Jodie Cunningham, 14 Vicky Molyneux, 15 Vicky Whitfield, 16 Beth Stott, 16 Shona Hoyle, 18 Olivia Wood, 19 Paige Travis, 20 Georgia Wilson, 21 Keara Bennett, 22 Zoe Harris, 23 Carrie Roberts, 24 Zoe Hornby.
* Read a full preview to the women’s tournament on pages 22-23.
