Five Warriors in Women’s Knights squad

England Women Rugby League Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, has named a 19-player Knights Performance Squad for 2023 ahead of a first training session on Saturday 1 July, with five Warriors included.

The Knights squad offers players a pathway into the senior England set up and, with an Autumn International at Headingley Stadium now confirmed, those selected will have the chance to play their way into Barrow’s squad to face Wales in November.

Wigan Warriors have five representatives, with Kaitlin Hilton, Mary Coleman and Anna Davies retaining their places alongside teammates and new selections Molly Jones and Eva Hunter. Jones joins the Knights set-up following her player of the match performance for England Women Students in their recent defeat of the UK Combined Armed Forces in the President’s Cup. Hunter has enjoyed an equally impressive start to the season and claimed a hat-trick when the Warriors Women’s Academy defeated St Helens 34-18 at Wigan St Jude’s – the highlights a sensational 60 metre solo run which saw the centre touch down under the posts on the half hour.

18-year-old Caitlin Casey was a Championship Grand Final winner with Oulton Raidettes last season and will link up with the Knights alongside her Leeds Rhinos teammates Izzy Northorp and Jasmine Cudjoe.

St Helens duo Katie Mottershead and Megan Williams have also been included – both of them products of the renowned Thatto Heath Women’s pathway and who earned promotion into the St Helens senior women’s team last season.

Current Betfred Women’s Super League leaders, York Valkyrie, see three of their squad selected. Emma Kershaw, Liv Whitehead and Georgie Heatherington have all featured heavily for the Valkyrie this season, with all three crossing the whitewash in the opening rounds as the side hunt for their first ever title.

Huddersfield Giants, Warrington Wolves and Featherstone Rovers are also represented in the squad.

England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, said: “The England Women Knights is a really important part of the international pathway and it gives some of our younger players who are knocking on the door a chance to push into the senior squad.

“With our Autumn International confirmed, these players now have a real opportunity to display the quality I know they all possess and earn themselves a place in the team to face Wales.

“With the Betfred Women’s Super League still in its early stages, there is still plenty of opportunity for more players to be added to the England Women Knights as the season progresses.”

England Women return to action this Autumn against Wales at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 4 November – part of an international double header also featuring the Third Test Match of the Men’s series against Tonga. 

Tickets for the Headingley double-header, and for the first two Tests of the England Men versus Tonga series, are on sale now at eticketing.co.uk/rugbyleague from £25 Adults and £12.50 Under 16s. Those looking to book 10 tickets or more can save 30% on single matches, with prices from £17.50 for Adults and £8.75 for under 16s – available now via the Groups Sales team at groups@rlcommercial.co.uk or 0844 856 1115.

England Women Knights squad

Emily Baggaley (Warrington Wolves), Amelia Brown (Huddersfield Giants), Caitlin Casey (Leeds Rhinos), Mary Coleman (Wigan Warriors), Jasmine Cudjoe (Leeds Rhinos), Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors), Georgie Hetherington (York Valkyrie), Kaitlin Hilton (Wigan Warriors), Eva Hunter (Wigan Warriors), Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors), Emma Kershaw (York Valkyrie), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Izzy Northorp (Leeds Rhinos), Erin Stott (Huddersfield Giants), Georgia Sutherland (Warrington Wolves), Bella Sykes (Unattached), Danielle Waters (Featherstone Rovers), Liv Whitehead (York Valkyrie), Megan Williams (St Helens).