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Maddie Feaunati, Liz Crake awarded full-time England contracts

354 days ago

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Maddie Feaunati of England celebrates as she scores her team's fourteenth try during the Guinness Women's Six Nations 2024 match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on April 20, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Exeter Chiefs flanker Maddie Feaunati and Trailfinders Women prop Liz Crake have both earned full-time England contracts for the 2024-25 season.

On Monday, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirmed the 32 Red Roses who will be part of the contracted group next season.

Feaunati has made the cut having emerged as a key player for John Mitchell during England’s Grand Slam-winning Women’s Six Nations 2024 campaign.

The Chiefs forward, who also qualified for New Zealand before committing to the Red Roses, made her Test debut off the bench against Italy in March and was subsequently used as a replacement in each of England’s Championship matches.

Crake has so far won two caps for the Red Roses, both of which came as a replacement during the 2023 Six Nations.

Meanwhile, Lizzie Hanlon – who made her England debut against Ireland in April – Steph Else and the Red Roses’ youngest-ever Test player, Mia Venner have been added to the list of eight players on transition contracts.

These contracts support aspiring Red Roses in their early professional journey, and safeguard some of their week for dedicated rugby development.

Head of Women’s Performance, Charlie Hayter, said: “This Red Roses group is extremely competitive, and the standards continue to go from strength to strength, as evidenced in this year’s Six Nations.

“Everyone involved in the programme is dedicated and committed to the journey that lies ahead, and striving towards a common purpose of growing the game in this country and contest the right to be successful at next year’s home Rugby World Cup.

“Before then, the immediate focus is on best preparing ourselves for our September fixtures against world class opposition in France and New Zealand, before heading to WXV 1 in Canada.”

Red Roses head coach, John Mitchell, added: “We trust each other and our style of rugby, and have belief our game is working for us.

“There is still a lot of room for growth in us and we have taken a lot of learning from our last Test match against France to move us forward.

“We are focused and determined to climb again and take our game to another level.”

England Women contracts:
Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears)
Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears)
Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears)
Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears)
Jess Breach (Saracens)
Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Kelsey Clifford (Saracens)
Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers)
Liz Crake (Trailfinders Women)
Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women)
Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs)
Rosie Galligan (Saracens)
Zoe Harrison (Saracens)
Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers)
Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning)
Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins)
Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning)
Lucy Packer (Harlequins)
Marlie Packer (Saracens)
Connie Powell (Harlequins)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning)
Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning)
Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks)
Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears)
Ella Wyrwas (Saracens)

Transition contracts:
Maisy Allen (Exeter Chiefs)
Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs)
Grace Clifford (Loughborough Lightning)
Steph Else (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Lizzie Hanlon (Exeter Chiefs)
Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning)
Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs)
Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Comments

3 Comments

BC 354 days ago

Main surprise for me is Mia Venner, a pretty flakey winger, There must be 4 or 5 better wingers than her including Sing, nominally a fullback, who gets no contract.

CN 354 days ago

Are you basing that on her one England debut, when she came on she seemed very nervous against Wales and perhaps responsible for the penalty try (although Mo Hunt was the one yellow carded for the tackle off the ball) as she had a kick charged down inside the 22. That said she was just 17 years old at the time to be fair. Her numbers are good for Gloucester-Hartpury

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Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 11 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 11 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 11 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 11 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 11 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 11 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍