Marlie Packer: ‘Can we have two world players of the year?’

England captain Marlie Packer joked “can we have two World Players of the Year this year?” as she endorsed Red Roses teammates Ellie Kildunne and Alex Matthews ahead of Sunday’s World Rugby Awards ceremony in Monaco.

Packer, the reigning World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, admitted she would be happy to hand over her crown to either of the Englishwomen in the running.

Kildunne and Matthews have been key to England’s impressive form in 2024, in which the Red Roses won another Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam, defended their WXV 1 title and extended their winning run to 20 matches.

Full-back Kildunne scored 14 tries in 10 appearances, while No8 Matthews captained England for the first time during WXV 1 and was a near ever-present in the back row, starting all but one of the Red Roses’ matches this year.

The duo face competition from France scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Canada centre Alex Tessier, but their England captain is adamant one of her colleagues should win.

“They’re both immensely special, gifted, talented. I could list off a load of positives about them,” Packer said.

“Can we have two World Players of the Year this year is my honest opinion because I think they both thoroughly deserve it.

“I think the journey that Ellie's been on with the Olympics, the way she's played in the Red Roses shirt and not [only] that, what she's done for the game, away from the pitch, the way she drives her lifestyle.

“But her drive away from the pitch for her 5022 [Studios], her photography, all of that kind of stuff just really encapsulates what an amazing person and player she is.

“And then Alex Matthews. I've been playing rugby with Alex Matthews for many years now. We won the 2014 World Cup together and I don't think there's anyone more deserving than her to win it."

Packer added: “Fingers crossed for both of them. But I hope to see at least one of them win it. I think one of them definitely deserves it.

“I love Ellie to bits, but Alex is very deserving. I think Ellie, she's got a lot more time to showcase what she's about in the next few years.

“Whereas I'm not saying Alex doesn't – I'm not retiring her or anything like that – but I'm just saying I think she's just very deserving as well.”

Packer was speaking ahead of ‘The Duel’, Saracens' Premiership Women’s Rugby encounter with London rivals Harlequins – and Kildunne – which you can watch live and for free this Sunday via RugbyPass TV (except in the UK, Ireland, Canada and the USA).

Following a couple of disappointing seasons, Harlequins head into the match with some form having won four matches in a row, including an impressive away victory at Bristol Bears.

That run, coupled with Saracens’ first defeat of the season at Exeter three weeks ago, means the visitors will arrive at StoneX Stadium one place above their hosts in the PWR table.

Harlequins’ upturn in fortunes has coincided with the arrival of Wales flanker Alex Callender and Packer is excited for their personal battle this weekend.

“Alex Callender, she's a great player,” Packer said. “A player that I would have loved to have played alongside, but always one that I relish playing against.

“She's a great character off the pitch and on the pitch as well. She's someone that you could be in a ruck, and she's undoing your laces while you're trying to get on with the game!

“So, you know a character that does make me laugh, and she's a really good player, but one that you give the respect but also you need to make sure that you just bring your own A-game.

“I'm not worried about playing Alex, I'm not worried about playing Jade Konkel or any of the back-row. What I need to do is bring the best version of myself, Marlie Packer and make sure that I help lead the Saracens team in the way that we want to play and we want to conduct ourselves on Sunday.

“And if we do that all right, and if I do all of that right, we'll come up with the right result.”