 England Women celebrate their record-breaking Six Nations success
England head coach Gary Street has been forced to make one change to his squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup which starts in Guildford on 20 August. Wasps winger Michaela Staniford, who played in the 2006 World Cup, replaces Richmond centre Claire Allan, who injured her knee in training. "It's really unfortunate to lose Claire who'd been at the peak of her game in our World Cup camps," said Street. "But we're lucky to replace her with one of the world's best outside backs." England take on Ireland in the tournament opener at Surrey Sports Park, before pool B games against Kazakhstan and the United States. Wales line up against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in pool A, while Scotland face France, Canada and Sweden in pool C. The semi-finals and final take place on 1 and 5 September at the Twickenham Stoop. Catherine Spencer, who led England to a fifth successive Six Nations title this season, leads the 26-strong squad, which features a variety of experience from the likes of Saracens hooker Amy Garnett - who has played in three previous World Cups - to 20-year-old Emily Scarratt, who has scored 16 tries in her 18 caps. Street, whose side are ranked second for the World Cup, said: "This squad is the culmination of three years of planning. "There are also some quality players who have not made the final cut, and who would almost certainly be in other international World Cup squads, so to come up with this squad has been a challenging and difficult task."
Revised England World Cup squad: Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), Charlotte Barras (Saracens), Sarah Beale (Lichfield), Rachael Burford (Richmond), Rochelle Clark (Team Northumbria), Rosemarie Crowley (Lichfield), Rebecca Essex (Richmond), Heather Fisher (Worcester), Amy Garnett (Saracens), Sophie Hemming (Bristol), Sarah Hunter (Lichfield), Emma Layland (Richmond), La Toya Mason (Wasps), Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), Katy McLean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, vice-captain), Katherine Merchant (Worcester), Amber Penrith (Worcester), Fiona Pocock (Richmond), Claire Purdy (Wasps), Alice Richardson (Richmond), Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), Catherine Spencer (Bristol, captain), Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Amy Turner (Richmond), Danielle Waterman (Worcester), Michaela Staniford (Wasps).
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