England Red Roses: John Mitchell names eight uncapped players in training-camp squad

John Mitchell has named eight uncapped players in the England Red Roses squad for their first training camp of the 2024/25 season. 

Bristol Bears prop Simi Pam, Loughborough Lightning lock Lilli Ives Campion, Gloucester-Hartpury back-rows Georgia Brock and Steph Else, Exeter Chiefs centre Nancy McGillivray, Bristol centre Phoebe Murray, Exeter back-three Katie Buchanan and Loughborough back-three Bo Westcombe-Evans make up the eight.

It marks the beginning of five weeks of preparation ahead of the team's games against Six Nations runners-up France and world champions New Zealand, after which they visit Canada for WXV 1.

The camp arrives on the back of the Red Roses winning a third successive Women's Six Nations Grand Slam.

Head coach Mitchell said: "Our first camp of 2024/25 allows us to reset what we stand for and how we will carry ourselves as Red Roses moving forward.

"Our game is working, and we have an opportunity to dial it up again. There is a massive amount of room to improve individually and evolve our game over the next five weeks."

Megan Jones and Ellie Kildunne will join up with the squad following their participation with the Team GB Rugby Sevens squad at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Red Roses pre-season camp 1 squad:

Prop: Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 61 caps), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 47 caps), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 15 caps), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 8 caps), Liz Crake (Trailfinders Women, 2 caps), Laura Keates (Loughborough Lightning, 62 caps), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 30 caps), Simi Pam (Bristol Bears, uncapped)

Hooker: Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 57 caps), May Campbell (Saracens, 1 cap), Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 74 caps)

Lock: Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 53 caps), Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 16 caps), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped), Cath O'Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 30 caps), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 65 caps)

Back Row: Maisy Allen (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps), Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury, uncapped), Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 65 caps), Steph Else (Gloucester-Hartpury, uncapped), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 67 caps), Marlie Packer (Saracens, 104 caps), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 13 caps)

Scrum-half: Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 72 caps) Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 21 caps), Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, 6 caps)

Fly-half: Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 30 caps), Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 49 caps)

Centre: Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 22 caps), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), Phoebe Murray (Bristol Bears, uncapped), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 111 caps)

Back Three: Jess Breach (Saracens, 38 caps), Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 45 caps), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 6 caps), Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughorough Lightning, uncapped)

Utility back: Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 45 caps), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 29 caps)