England Women head coach Stuart Barrow has named his 23-player squad for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. Four potential debutants have made the cut, including NRLW Grand Finalist Jasmin Strange. The 23-year-old Australia- born second-rower, who qualifies through her English-born mother, will link up with the England squad in Perth after the Roosters face Brisbane Broncos on Sunday October 4.
The other uncapped players named in the squad are Connie Boyd (Leeds Rhinos), Hope Millard (Canterbury Bulldogs) and Lucie Sams (Wigan Warriors). All three nominees for this year's Woman of Steel Award have been selected, alongside six of their Wigan Warriors team-mates. Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter and Megan Williams will discover who has been crowned this season's outstanding player on Tuesday September 29 before flying to Australia next Thursday.
Fran Goldthorp will represent England for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, where she made four appearances and scored three tries. She is selected alongside two other England players based in the NRLW: Georgia Roche (Newcastle Knights) and Hollie-Mae Dodd (Canberra Raiders). The newly-crowned Betfred Women's Super League champions York Valkyrie are represented by Liv Wood, while the competition's leading try-scorer, Amelia Brown (Huddersfield Giants), is also included.
St Helens loose forward Jodie Cunningham is joined in the squad by team-mate Vicky Whitfield, with the 34-year-old set to feature at her fourth World Cup. There are five Leeds Rhinos players, with Young Player of the Year nominees Boyd and Ruby Bruce both recognised for their efforts this season with a place. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Head coach Barrow, said: "The standard across the wider group has been outstanding throughout the season, which made the selection process incredibly challenging.
"At the start of the year, we set out a clear selection timeline with the players, outlining the standards, milestones and opportunities that would contribute to today's selection. Throughout the season, we've had a number of England camps, we have travelled to France, and I've been present at all the Super Four games to assess the players in contention for selection. "Narrowing our squad from 40 players to a final 23 has involved some difficult decisions, but we believe we have the right balance of experience and youth to compete on the world stage.
"It's also an exciting moment for the programme with the inclusion of Australian-based heritage players for the first time. Bringing together talent from both the NRLW and the Women's Super League gives us a unique blend of quality and experience, and we're excited to see these players come together in an England shirt. "Now our focus turns to preparation.
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