ENGLAND coach Stuart Barrow has insisted former captain Emily Rudge’s international career is not over, despite the St Helens star not making the trip to Las Vegas to face Australia later this month.
Rudge made her England debut as a 16-year-old in 2008 and was a mainstay in the side until losing her spot for last autumn’s Test against Wales at Headingley.
The 33-year-old admitted on social media last week that she understood why she had been dropped for Wales, having missed some games and training sessions during last season that inevitably saw a dip in form.
But she retained her spot in the wider training squad and vowed to get back to her best with the aim of being selected to face Australia in Vegas on Sunday, March 2 (2am UK time).
However, she just missed out on the final 20-player travelling squad named by Barrow, who has backed the second-rower to bounce back stronger from the disappointment.
“I have made it really clear to Emily that her response from where she was when she didn’t make the Wales squad to where she is now has been great,” Barrow told League Express.
“She has gone away and worked really, really hard and it was a tough decision for me to make.
“Ultimately it came down to who we believed were the current form players based on last season’s games, but Emily certainly got herself back into contention and did come close to making the squad.
“The international door is not closed for Emily and she knows that. I’ve spoken to her about that and there are many opportunities ahead for her to force herself back into the squad as we go forward.”
Barrow had his players together for one final training camp in Leeds over the weekend before they fly out to Las Vegas next Tuesday (February 25).
It was the first time that only the 20 selected players were together and Barrow noticed a visible step up in their preparations.
“The girls arrived in camp with the weight of the world off their shoulders because they know they are going, and it’s meant they have gone out there and play freely and a lot more like themselves.
“The last couple of sessions we had before the final selection were quite tough because everyone was anxious, but that’s gone now and they have trained with a speed and an intensity that was maybe missing in those previous couple of sessions.
“So I’m really pleased with where we are now.”