England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, has selected a 31-player strong train-on squad ahead of their historic clash against the Australian Jillaroos in Las Vegas (March 1) with a brand-new name included for the first time – Georgie Dagger (nee Hetherington), the reigning Betfred Women's Super Legue Woman of Steel.
The 27-year-old returns to the international set up following her wedding to York Knights fullback Will Dagger which took place on the same day as England’s 82-0 defeat of Wales on November 2.
The utility made her England debut in the mid-season international against France and was crowned 2024 Woman of Steel after a stunning season which ended with a Player-of-the-Match performance in the Valkyrie’s Grand Final triumph against St Helens.
Four players who faced the Jillaroos back in 2017 are also included; Jodie Cunningham, Amy Hardcastle, Shona Hoyle and Emily Rudge – who was also in the starting lineup for England when they faced Australia in the 2013 World Cup.
2023 NRLW Grand Final winner Georgia Roche is poised to link up with the national team once again following another impressive season with Newcastle Knights scoring two tries in ten appearances.
Canberra Raiders second-row Hollie-Mae Dodd is named after a try-scoring return to the international side against Wales in the Autumn international with Paige Travis also selected ahead of her move Down Under to Parramatta Eels.
England Women will meet up for their first training session on Saturday 7 December with the team meeting up twice a month during the build-up to Vegas with a 20-player travelling squad set to be announced in February.
Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, said:
“We’ve had a few weeks to recuperate following the Autumn international against Wales but now all eyes are firmly on the Australian Jillaroos.
“With the fixture coming before the beginning of the Betfred Women’s Super League we have a regular training schedule from now until mid-February to make sure we’re match ready.
“As I mentioned earlier this week, everyone in this squad has a chance to earn themselves a spot on the plane to Vegas and that is a testament to the quality we have within the group.”
England Women versus the Australian Jillaroos will be the penultimate match of a quadruple header featuring a Super League clash between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves and two NRL matches - Raiders v Warriors and Panthers v Sharks.
All four matches will be shown live on Sky Sports – with England v Australia kicking off at 2am UK time.
England Women's Vegas Training squad:
Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie), Jas Bell (York Valkyrie), Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos), Amelia Brown (Huddersfield), Caitlin Casey (St Helens), Mary Coleman (Wigan Warriors), Evie Cousins (Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Georgie Dagger (York Valkyrie), Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors), Hollie-Mae Dodd (Canberra Raiders), Jenna Foubister (Wigan Warriors), Amy Hardcastle (St Helens), Zoe Harris (St Helens), Phoebe Hook (St Helens), Shona Hoyle (St Helens), Eva Hunter (Wigan Warriors), Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Izzy Northrop (Leeds Rhinos), Lacey Owen (York Valkyrie), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Tamzin Renouf (York Valkyrie), Georgia Roche (Newcastle Knights), Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Erin Stott (St Helens), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Paige Travis (Parramatta Eels), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie).
Rugby League Las Vegas Festival 2025 – Saturday March 1
Betfred Super League – Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves (1:30pm PST / 9:30pm GMT)
NRL – Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors (4:00pm PST / Midnight GMT)
Test Match - Australian Jillaroos vs England Women (6:00pm PST / 2am GMT March 2)
NRL – Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (8:30pm PST / 4:30am GMT March 2)
