England Rugby League Women’s head coach Stuart Barrow has added York Valkyrie’s Lacey Owen and Jas Bell to the England Women National Performance Squad ahead of England’s international fixture vs Wales Women at Headingley on 4th November – as part of a double header with the England Men vs Tonga Men.
Lacey Owen is currently uncapped for England, though had featured in the National Performance Squad 3 years ago and the England Knights squad last year alongside Valkyrie teammate Jas Bell. The pair have gotten off to a flying start in all 3 competitions, the York side currently unbeaten in the Super League, Challenge Cup and Nines Festival. The duo will join York teammates Savannah Andrade, Grace Field, Sinead Peach, Tamzin Renouf, Tara Jane Stanley and Liv Wood in the squad.
Other members of the National Performance Squad include Hollie-Mae Dodd, Georgia Roche and Fran Goldthorp who are all set to be jetting off to Australia for the NRLW. Dodd was the first announced player to be heading over for the Canberra Raiders, with Goldthrop signed for the North Queensland Cowboys and Roche’s side yet to be announced. Georgia Wilson isn’t currently linked with an NRL club but has been playing down under with the Souths Logan Magpies in the QRL, a step below the top league, in February – leaving the Wigan Warriors after 6 years.
Leah Burke was a key member of the England side that took on France in the mid-season international, the St Helens winger scoring 4 tries to see England triumph 64-0. Reigning Woman of Steel Tara Jane Stanley, England skipper Jodie Cunningham and Saints second-rower Emily Rudge also key names in the squad.
England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, to the RFL:
“Both Lacey and Jas have been in great form since the beginning of the Betfred Women’s Super League season. Their performances with York Valkyrie have been outstanding, so their promotion from England Women Knights into the full international squad is well deserved.
“We are really looking forward to our fixture against Wales in the Autumn and we will be working hard to make sure that we have the strongest squad possible, which means that there are likely be more new faces joining us. I look forward to confirming these as the season progresses.
“We’ve got a really good group of players and an increasing number of young players knocking on the door.”
The England Rugby League Women’s National Performance Squad:
Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie), Caitlin Beevers (Leeds Rhinos), Jas Bell (York Valkyrie), Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos), Chloe Billington (Featherstone Rovers), Leah Burke (St Helens), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Hollie-Mae Dodd (York Valkyrie), Grace Field (York Valkyrie), Fran Goldthorp (Leeds Rhinos), Amy Hardcastle (Leeds Rhinos), Zoe Harris (St Helens), Zoe Hornby (Leeds Rhinos), Shona Hoyle (St Helens), Tara Jones (St Helens), Eboni Partington (St Helens), Sinead Peach (York Valkyrie), Tamzin Renouf (York Valkyrie), Georgia Roche (Leeds Rhinos), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Tara Jane Stanley (York Valkyrie), Paige Travis (St Helens), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie)
Written by Ellie Indie
