Georgia Roche, Hollie-Mae Dodd, both of whom have signed professional contracts to move to Australia's NRLW, included in England Women's 19-player squad vs France on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Arena (2pm); England vs France men's international follows live on Sky Sports Arena at 4.30pm
Thursday 27 April 2023 16:35, UK
Australia-bound duo Georgia Roche and Hollie-Mae Dodd have both made the 19-player England women's squad to take on France on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Arena.
In a bumper double-header on Sky Sports, England Women take on France at 2pm on Sky Sports Arena at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium, before the England men's side face France at 4.30pm, also on Sky Sports Arena.
Roche and Dodd became the first English women to sign professional rugby league contracts with clubs in Australia ahead of the forthcoming NRLW season, with Dodd joining Canberra Raiders and Roche expected to link up with Newcastle Knights.
New head coach Stuart Barrow has named eight St Helens players in his squad, which will be captained for the first time by Jodie Cunningham.
The 31-year-old St Helens player believes the recent moves by Hollie-Mae Dodd and Georgia Roche to sign professional deals in Australia's NRLW heralds an exciting opportunity to improve the game in Britain.
"I can't wait to see them rip it out there and become stand-out NRLW players, and it shows just how far the women's game has come when we were sitting here talking about full-time professional contracts.
"If we are going to continue improving the women's game we need more competitive fixtures on a more regular basis. I think we shocked a lot of people with the way we performed in the World Cup, and it will not take a lot to bridge that gap."
England's Tara-Jane Stanley added from camp...
"Me and the girls can't wait to get out and represent our country again.
"Obviously, off the back of a successful World Cup - and it was successful - we've got more girls choosing to participate in rugby league which is fantastic. The numbers and stats are phenomenal.
"We're disappointed with the result against New Zealand, but we've looked at the review, what we need to do, and we've realised there are small margins that we need to improve on.
"We're closer than we ever have been before, and we can't wait to get out in an England shirt.
"We're fortunate now the women's game is getting played at these big venues. It's always important.
"Every England shirt you receive is memorable, but this one even more with the foundation and the fact we're representing Rob [Burrow] on the shirt, is amazing.
"It really does have meaning to us and the rugby league community. We can't wait to get out there."
England Women squad: Savannah Andrade (York), Keara Bennett (Leeds), Leah Burke, Jodie Cunningham (C) (both St Helens), Hollie-Mae Dodd, Grace Field (both York), Amy Hardcastle (Leeds), Zoe Harris, Shona Hoyle, Tara Jones (all St Helens), Vicky Molyneux (Wigan), Eboni Partington (St Helens), Sinead Peach, Tara-Jane Stanley, Tamzin Renouf (all York), Georgia Roche (Leeds), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens), Olivia Wood (York).
