ENGLAND coach Stuart Barrow has admitted he faced a welcome headache ahead of naming his squad to face Wales this weekend.
Barrow initially named a 41-player performance squad that consisted of senior England players and those currently in the Knights set-up, with all players involved in three sessions together over the last week.
Two were training sessions over the weekend, while Wednesday saw the squad splint into Yorkshire and Lancashire sides to go head to head in an Origin training game at Huddersfield YMCA.
Barrow has gone on to select a squad of 20 players for the Test at Headingley on Saturday, but knows it was a worthwhile exercise to bring the two squads together and he is confident all players will take something from the experience.
“We had a really competitive selection fixture on Wednesday night which made the decision on who to include and who will miss out very difficult, but this can only mean that the standard and depth of players in the women’s game is getting better and better,” said Barrow.
“We have lost some players from that France game earlier in the year to injury so that means there are some positions up for grabs against Wales and it’s a great opportunity for some people to come in stake their claim on them.
“It does give me a headache, but it’s a good headache to have. Previously there has perhaps been less quality to challenge the England set-up, but now we’re getting young players coming through that have quality across the board that have real ambitions to play for England.
“We brought the Knights in to train with the senior squad and that works both ways. It gives the Knights players the chance to come forward and challenge the senior players and learn from some really great professionals in the group.
“But it also shows the senior players what’s coming through ready to take their place so it’ll keep them on their toes because there are people behind them that want their shirts.”
Included in Barrow’s squad is NRLW Grand Final winner Georgia Roche.
The 23-year-old stand-off, who was named the first ever Woman of Steel in 2018, left Leeds Rhinos prior to the start of this season to take up a long term deal with Newcastle Knights, who beat Gold Coast Titans 24-18 in the final.
She could be joined in the squad by former Wigan star Georgia Wilson, who has also spent this season down under playing with South Logan Magpies. Other English NRLW stars Hollie Dodd and Fran Goldthorp are, however, unavailable through injury.
In line for debuts are York’s Georgie Hetherington, who was named player of the match in the Valkyrie’s Grand Final win over Leeds, and Anna Davies of Wigan, who was named in the Elite Performance Squad for the first time earlier this year.
England squad: Caitlin Beevers (Leeds) Keara Bennett (Leeds), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Anna Davies (Wigan), Amy Hardcastle (Leeds), Georgie Hetherington (York), Shona Hoyle (St Helens), Zoe Hornby (Leeds), Tara Jones (St Helens), Vicky Molyneux (Wigan), Lacey Owen (York), Eboni Partington (St Helens), Sinead Peach (York), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Georgia Roche (Newcastle Knights), Tamzin Renouf (York), Olivia Wood (York), Tara-Jane Stanley (York), Paige Travis (St Helens), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens).
