History made as four England Rugby League DiSE players feature in the England Women Senior squad for the first time

Four England Rugby League DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) players have been selected for the first time into the England Women Senior matchday squad for an international test match. Erin Stott, Katie Mottershead, Bella Sykes and Isabel Rowe, join fellow DiSE graduates Keara Bennett and Eboni Partington in the nineteen-player squad ahead of this weekend's mid-season international against France in Toulouse.

The four first time selections are a result of strong starts in the 2024 Betfred Women's Super League and performance pathway training sessions. The four also strengthened their selection chances, performing well in the recent Yorkshire v Lancashire Origin fixture at Dewsbury Rams.

Erin Sott was part of the first England Rugby League DiSE cohort when the now current England Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, launched the DiSE programme in 2019. Since graduating from the programme, Erin has produced impressive performances in the Betfred Womens Super League for Huddersfield Giants which resulted in selection to the England Knights, debuting in a 2021 World Cup warm-up fixture against the Cook Islands. 

In 2023 Erin made the move to St Helens, playing a key role in the teams Challenge Cup Final win at Wembley Stadium. 

Katie Mottershead was selected into the second DiSE cohort in 2020, becoming the first group of players to participate in residential training camps. On graduation from the DiSE programme, the 20-year-old dummy half, was then selected into the England Knights in 2022 including, the fixture against the Cook Islands.

Katie has also become a key player in the Betfred Women's Super League side St Helens, appearing in back-to-back Challenge Cup final victories at Wembley in 2023 and 2024.

Bella Sykes was selected in the 2021 DiSE Cohort whilst also regularly appearing in Women's Super League at a young age for Huddersfield Giants. Bella was selected for the England Knights whilst still a DiSE player in 2022 and also featured for the Knights in a World Cup warm-up fixture against the Cook Islands.

Bella signed for Leeds Rhinos in 2023, appearing in the 2023 Women's Super League Grand Final and the 2024 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

Isabel Rowe has enjoyed immediate success in her Women's Super League debut season at the age of 17. After suffering an ACL injury keeping her out for the game for almost a year, Izzy returned at the end of 2023 earning selection into the 2023 DiSE cohort. 

She was promoted to the Wigan Warriors first team from the academy during the 2024 pre-season by Head Coach Denis Betts where she has been an integral part of the team.

Izzy becomes the first active DiSE player to earn selection into the England Senior team before graduating from the programme.

The Rugby Football League’s DiSE Manager, Conor Meese, said: “We are delighted to see a number of DiSE players earn selection into the England Women’s senior team. What is pleasing to see is each of the four players are from four different DISE cohorts. It is a great example to aspiring international players that each individual player has a different development journey Keara and Eboni have been inspirations to all players coming through the DiSE programme each year and I am delighted we now have other players joining them at the pinnacle of the Performance Pathway.”

The Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme is a National Programme for Year 12 and Year 13 girls who are deemed to have the potential to represent England in the future and play at the top of the Women’s game in England.

To enhance the experience and to further aid player development, the DiSE programme is seeking a programme sponsor to help fund regular overseas competition. Please direct any interest to; The Rugby Football League’s DiSE manager, Conor Meese on Conor.Meese@rfl.co.uk.

England Women squad: 

Caitlin Beevers, Keara Bennett (both Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors), Amy Hardcastle (Leeds Rhinos), Zoe Harris (St Helens), Georgie Hetherington (York Valkyrie), Shona Hoyle (Leeds Rhinos), Zoe Hornby (Leeds Rhinos), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Izzy Northrop (Leeds Rhinos), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie) Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors) Emily Rudge (St Helens), Erin Stott (St Helens), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Paige Travis (St Helens), Olivia Wood (York Valkyrie), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens). 

England’s Men and Women will play France in Toulouse on Saturday 29 June, as the French Rugby League (FFR XIII) celebrates 90 years of the game in the republic.

England Women take on France at 3.30pm (local time, 2:30pm UK), followed by the Men’s international at 6pm (5pm, UK) – and both matches will be streamed LIVE and FREE from Stade Ernest-Wallon on SuperLeague+, Rugby League’s global, direct-to-consumer streaming service.

SuperLeague+ is available online at superleague.co.uk/superleagueplus, via the SuperLeague+ app on iOS and Android devices, and on connected TV platforms (Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV).

Photo Credit: Steve Biltcliffe