Two of England women’s RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam winners have been left out of the new-look Elite Playing Squad for the 2011/12 season.
Hooker Amy Garnett, who with 95 caps is England’s record appearance holder, along with Rachael Burford fail to make the 34-strong squad which was announced in conjunction with a ten-person squad for the sevens team.
With the England sevens team facing a busy summer, including July’s European Championship Sevens, the RFUW want to create a more specialised coaching environment.
Familiar faces in the sevens set-up include Michaela Staniford and Sonia Green while in the XV squad Lichfield No. 8 Harriet Millar-Mills and Bristol centre Amber Reed feature for the first time.
“This is an exciting squad of players and we are really pleased with the standard of talent we have got in this squad,” said the RFUW’s Head of Performance Nicola Ponsford.
“We have a great mix of experience, with several world cup players still involved, while we have some exciting young talent with a number of athletes graduating from the England U20s squad and the RFUW Divisional Programme.
“The global landscape for rugby is changing. We are in very exciting times that should see women’s rugby go from strength to strength whilst also continuing to build upon the successes of the 2010 Rugby World Cup.
“The inclusion of Sevens within the programme represents the first step in a new direction. The RFUW is finalising the longer term Sevens strategy in conjunction with the RFU and alongside the IRB Sevens strategy.
“This initial step with open trials and the inclusion of some players within the 44 allows us to develop and test the processes that we need to put in place going forward.”
