5 Players to Watch: Red Roses Squad for WXV Global Series

The World Champions kick off their trio of home games on Saturday 12th September with a game against Australia at the CorpAcq Stadium in Salford.

They will then face Canada, for a world cup final rematch down in Exeter’s Sandy Park the following week. The Red Roses then close out their home leg of the WXV Global Series returning to the Allianz Stadium on Saturday 26th September for a game against the Black Ferns.

FORWARDS: Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears) Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears) Delaney Burns (Bristol Bears) Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women) May Campbell (Saracens) Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury) Kelsey Clifford (Saracens) Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks) Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs) Bryony Field (Saracens) Haidee Head (Trailfinders Women) Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning) Hayley Jones (Trailfinders Women) Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning) Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning) Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury) Sophie McQueen (Gloucester-Hartpury) Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury) Marlie Packer (Harlequins) Demelza Short (Bristol Bears) Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks)

BACKS: Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks) Jess Breach (Saracens) Millie David (Bristol Bears) Zoe Harrison (Saracens) Tatyana Heard (Sale Sharks) Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury) Megan Jones (c) (Trailfinders Women) Ellie Kildunne (Bristol Bears) Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs) Lucy Packer (Harlequins) Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs) Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning) Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury) Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury) Bo Westcombe-Evans (Trailfinders Women)

The Red Roses head into these games having already secured qualification to the 2029 World Cup in Australia, after they won the 2025 World Cup. However, with a 38-game unbeaten streak, the pressure is truly on for the World Champions. There are many a superstar in this Red Roses WXV squad however we've selected five players that are ones to watch in this upcoming trio of games.

With a nickname of ‘Magic Meg’, she brings just that ‘magic’ both on and off the pitch. Her charismatic character paired with her flair and leadership on the pitch saw her earn the Red Roses Captaincy after previous captain Zoe Stratford (née Aldcroft) announced her pregnancy. The Welsh-Born centre brings a range of experience to the team with experience at international level for both sevens and fifteens. She played for both the England and GB sevens programmes, notably playing in two Olympics, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

In terms of club experience, she’s previously represented Bristol Bears, Wasps and Leicester Tigers before joining Trailfinders Women in 2025 where she had a fantastic first season with the West London club playing a key role in their journey to their first PWR final, which came just three years after the clubs inception into the league.

Having played every single minute of the Red Roses successful 2026 Six Nations campaign alongside captaining the side to a fifth straight grand slam and eighth consecutive six nations title, she is set to sparkle on the international stage once again.

The Bristol Bears winger has had a meteoric rise through the ranks and now enters the senior international stage ready to show some of that sparkle that she has become renowned for in the youth ranks, and in the PWR during her time at Bristol Bears.

Alongside her playing career in the West Country, she also studied Mathematics at University of Bristol, and needed to ask for a dissertation extension after being called up for the 2026 Six Nations squad for the Red Roses.

During that tournament, she made her senior England debut with a start against Wales at her home stadium of Ashton Gate, where she impressed quickly with a debut try. However, her debut was cut-short when around the 20-minute mark, shortly after her try, she had to exit the pitch for a head injury.

The young superstar is known for bringing energy on the pitch and causing chaos for the opposition with her attacking runs. After having had a less-than-ideal ending to her debut, I’m sure she is ready to show once again that she has what it takes to be one of the best wingers in the game.

The 22-year-old first picked up a rugby ball at 13. Just five years later, she signed her first premiership contract, to then make her debut for Loughborough Lightning at just 17 years old.

Having impressed at BUCS level, Campion progressed through the England pathway system, and captained the England U20s for the Six Nations Women's Summer Series, and was named in the team of the tournament. She then earned her senior England debut in September 2024 in the WXV1 tournament.

Her continuous stellar performances at club level then earnt her a spot in both following two Women's Six Nations squads, as well as a place in the victorious 2025 Women’s World Cup Red Roses campaign.

After the World Cup, with the absence of Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan due to the pregnancy, the Lightning Lock stepped up for the 2026 Women's Six Nations. Campion played a vital part in the grand slam victory, through her strength in set pieces and athleticism at the lineout. She is growing to be one of the best second rowers in the world and is definitely one to watch. The stats speak for themselves, as she finished the 2025/26 PWR season having claimed to greatest number of lineouts from her own throw in the competition.

From making her debut in 2008, to becoming a two-time world cup winner, Marlie Packer brings a wealth of world class experience to this Red Roses side having spent 18 years in an around the senior squad.

At club level, she has played for Wasps and Bristol before joining Saracens in 2017. She then went on to spend nine years in the Saracens Wolfpack, where she combined her fire-power and an unrelenting work ethic, to help take Saracens to four Premiership Women’s Rugby Titles. Packer captained the side to the 2025/26 PWR title, wheen Saracens took a commanding 52-14 victory against Trailfinders Women in the final.

The newly signed Harlequins back row has played key roles throughout her time in the England squad, earning 116 caps for the Red Roses as well as captaining the side to two Six Nations Grand Slams, and winning the inaugural WXV1 competition.

While Packer no longer remains at the helm with the captaincy having passed to Zoe Stratford, and now Meg Jones, she has adapted well, remaining as a strong leadership presence in the group and playing some of her best rugby of her career. She is truly showing the world that no matter what role in the team she plays, be it starting, on the bench, or as a non-playing reserve, she is presence that shouldn’t be underestimated.

The Saracens fly half started her rugby journey at just age five when she joined her first grassroots side, Tring Rugby Cub. She then went onto play for Welwyn RFC, where she was coached by her Dad, before stepping up to play regularly for Hertfordshire. Harrison then entered the realms of international involvement, spending her teens impressing in the England Rugby pathway, where she made appearances for both the U-18s and the U-20s.

Having made her Saracens debut in 2016 and her senior international debut for the Red Roses in 2017, she quickly became a central figure in both squads and their following successes. Harrison has secured multiple premiership titles with Saracens, including co-captaining the side to their most recent trophy. Within her kicking game, she is consistently showing why she has such a firm grip on that coveted 10 shirt both for her club and country. Her great distribution, along side her accuracy from the tee, gives her that ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over.