Scarratt closing in on record fifth World Cup

After making England’s 42-player training squad for the tournament, Centre Emily Scarratt is on the verge of clinching a fifth consecutive Rugby World Cup record.

The 35-year-old has represented the Red Roses at four World Cups and wants to become the first English rugby player to compete in five of those competitions.

Scarratt, a member of the Loughborough Lightning, won her first World Cup debut in 2010 at Twickenham Stoop, where England lost to New Zealand in the final. Scarratt has capped 118 times.

Only three players, including Samoa’s Brian Lima and the duo of Italy’s Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse, have participated in five World Cups.

Former New Zealand fly-half Anna Richards won four World Cups between 1991 and 2010, winning the latter four of them.

Fiao’o Fa’amausili also won four World Cups between 2002 and 2017 in each of her five competitions. Donna Kennedy of Scotland won five World Cups, her first of which occurred in 1994.

The World Cup, which begins on August 22 and runs, is expected to be won by hosts England.

In a thrilling game at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham in April, they won the Six Nations Grand Slam for the fourth time in a row.

Although Megan Jones has made her debut as John Mitchell’s starting outside center, Scarratt continues to make a valuable addition to the squad despite missing out on England’s matchday squad due to their Grand Slam victory over France.

As they count down to their home World Cup against the United States at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, the Red Roses are on a 25-game winning streak.

For the first time since Monday, the squad has been assembled, and the tournament will have a 32-player roster.

England, who won the 2014 World Cup, narrowly lost to New Zealand at Eden Park in 2022 in a dramatic match.

Sarah Beckett, a Gloucester-Hartpury forward, is once more a notable player.

The 26-year-old, who can play lock or back row, was not selected for the Red Roses’ 2022 World Cup squad.

Beckett was named in Mitchell’s Women’s Six Nations squad earlier this year, but she was unable to play due to a back injury, which cost her the final 35 caps of the year at Six Nations.

Cath O’Donnell, a Loughborough Lightning lock with an ankle injury, has returned to full training and has made it to the Six Nations and the WXV1s.

Millie David and Sarah Parry, both of whom were uncapped in Mitchell’s March Six Nations training squad, were given the nickname.

With a remarkable 17 assists, Bristol Bears’ David, age 19, was the top try-scorer in Premiership Women’s Rugby this season.