England have started their 2023 Women’s Six Nations campaign in fine form, with hopes of retaining their title for a fifth consecutive year. A landslide 58-7 victory over Scotland saw the Red Roses fire out of the gate, in a match which also marked the retirement for legendary captain Sarah Hunter.
England centre Emily Scarratt has unfortunately been ruled out of this year’s Women’s Six Nations due to injury. Scarratt is curently recovering from neck and ankle injuries, and was unable to wish her captain farewell from the pitch at Kingston Park. However, Scarratt believes that it was the perfect send-off for her iconic Red Roses captain.
“Honestly, I couldn’t be happier that it finished how it did. I think, you think about what some people have done throughout their career, you look at what they’ve achieved, you know how much they’ve given. And so often they don’t quite get the ending, perhaps that you feel like they deserve.
“So I just couldn’t have been happier that she got that ending. You really couldn’t have written it any better for her. It was a very, very special day for anyone that was up there. Just the kind of the reaction from the crowd, obviously, when she ran out to start with and when she left the field, and everyone sticking around after the game as well.
“Just some things like speak 1000 words in the actions of what happened. And I think that game really showed what she meant to people and has meant to the game.”
There was a heightened sense of occasion heading into the match against Scotland, as the Red Roses prepared for Hunter’s retirement match. Also, this was the first time England had taken to the pitch since their defeat in last year’s Rugby World Cup Final to the Black Ferns of New Zealand. Scarratt discussed the sides eagerness in preparation, and her thoughts on the team’s performance in the one-sided win.
“The girls were really excited. Obviously, there were four new caps as well, and I think everybody was (excited). You know, it’s hard when the last game you played was a World Cup final. Obviously, there’s a lot of girls, some of them have played in that some of them hadn’t. So I think everybody was just really excited to get back out there and play in the white shirt.
“You know, it seems like it was forever ago when we did that. And I think certainly people wanted to go on and make sure that ‘Sunter’ had one to remember.
“Look, I thought as a first hit out the girls went really well. I thought that there was some really good intent behind what they were trying to do. Obviously, scoring 10 tries is always a great thing, but actually the way in which they went about some of it was awesome as well.
“A shame to see Amber (Reed) and Poppy (Cleall) leave the field as they did, wishing them well and hope that maybe we’ll see them at some point in the tournament later on. But yeah, I felt everyone stepped up, as I said, four new caps, which is pretty cool.”
Having co-captained the Red Roses with Hunter on previous occasions, back-rower Marlie Packer was the natural fit to take full control of the reigns going forward. Scarratt has previously been England’s captain on many high-profile occasions, having most recently led England to Grand Slam success over France, in the 2022 Women’s Six Nations. Packer is now England’s solo captain, and Scarratt believes that the Saracen is stepping up well to her new responsibilities.
“Yeah, I think it’s just really important that she just keeps being herself. The biggest joy that we all get from Marlie Packer is her being herself, and also what she brings on the field. So she’s going to have so much more things going on now off-field, all the things that you don’t really think about, but the media, the interviews, and the press conferences.
“You know, all the things that a captain… the extra meetings and analysis, that a captain has to do that not everybody always understands. But actually, the best part of her is just rocking up on the field and just go in, and being that kind of ‘Tasmanian Devil’ that she is and just charging around. I have no doubt she’ll continue to do that. You know, she’s a phenomenal rugby player. I’m excited to see how that evolves for her throughout the tournament.”
“I think, you know, one of Marlie’s best traits is that she’s always trying to get the best out of people, you know, in training, encouraging, putting an arm around people trying to drive the standards, and make sure that she takes people with her. And that’s exactly the same with those new caps. And it’s such an exciting opportunity for those guys to pull on that white shirt, I thought they all did really, really well. At an occasion like that it was first cap dreams really.”
The 2023 Women’s Six Nations marks a definitive new era, with Sarah Hunter’s retirement and also long-standing Head Coach Simon Middleton set to leave his post at the end of the competition. After joining the Red Roses as Sevens Head Coach and 15s Assistant Coach in 2014. Middleton and Gary Street took the Red Roses to a Rugby World Cup triumph that very same year, with a 21-9 victory over Canada in the final.
Middleton took over as Head Coach in 2015, and has held the position ever since. The 57-year-old has overseen a successful era for England, as the Red Roses won five Six Nations Championships with Middleton steering the ship. Scarratt discussed how the squad want to win one more piece of silverware, to give their coach the send-off he deserves.
“Yeah, I think there’s a real want to do that a little bit, like we just spoke about the girls wanting to go out and give ‘Sunter’ one at the weekend, I think they definitely want to, make sure that that ‘Midds’ leaves with a trophy. And I think everyone will agree that he deserves that. He put a hell of a lot into our programme over a big number of years, with the sevens programme and the fifteens programme.
“But also, obviously, anytime you put on an England shirt, you want to win and you want to go out and do as best as you can in any sort of tournament, retain that title, as you say. And obviously, with ‘Midds’ leaving, there’s an added bit there. And also, there’s one eye on trying to impress whoever that new person is, and we don’t know who that is yet, but you know, everybody’s wanting to make sure that they’re putting their best foot forward, in order to put their hand up for that as well.”
Despite not featuring on the pitch in this year’s competition, Scarratt is lending help to the squad in any way she can. The Loughborough Lightning star is off her feet after an ankle operation, and is giving words of advice to a predominantly younger Red Roses side.
“I think there’s been a fair amount of movement in the squad, and we’ve got a huge amount of injuries and whatnot at the moment. So just kind of trying to lend a bit of a voice from perhaps that leadership role, particularly in the backs where we are a younger group. Obviously, Zoe Harrison isn’t there, and you know, Helena (Rowland), lots of people, unfortunately, aren’t available at the moment.
“I’m not walking around with a whistle and setting up drills and all of that sort of stuff. It’s more just trying to, I guess, have another voice to (Emily) Scott’s. But also just, I guess just chip in with little bits, and it’s been quite nice to be fair, it’s been nice to be around the girls, obviously, the last week or so I’ve not really been there. So it’s been more kind of remote and just trying to keep watching training back, etc. Stay on top of things that way.”
Scarratt is one of many high-profile England players who are unavailable for the 2023 Women’s Six Nations, as the likes of Abby Ward, Hannah Botterman and Zoe Harrison all miss out on this year’s competition. This has opened the door for Middleton to call-up some uncapped fresh faces for their Red Roses debuts. One such player is Exeter Chiefs’ Nancy McGillivray, who got an early taste of Twickenham Stadium, as she scored against Harlequins back in early March.
Scarratt talked about how well these young players like McGillivray are taking to the England camp, and how it presents exciting signs for the future.
“I think, so many of the girls now are used to playing on big stages, because that’s, becoming far more of the norm. So whether that is a Twickenham or it’s a sold out Kingston park, or, you know, as you say, club rugby around the lands now is becoming far more well followed.
“Nancy has been going really well. She played in the under 20s game, actually after the England v Scotland game at the weekend. Yeah, I think she’s a huge talent. The bits of game time she gets up at Exeter, she’s done really, really well. She has been in camp, she picked up a bit of a knock in one of the first weeks so wasn’t able, perhaps to train as much as she wanted.
“But I think those are the sorts of players, you know, whether they end up going on to be capped or not, or whether they’re just in and around the environment. It’s such an invaluable experience just to be in and around that group, and that environment. You know, and you look at the next cycle of the World Cup 2025 and the one after that, you know it’s players like that, that will will be leading the way I’m sure.”
The 2019 World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year closed out the interview by looking towards the weekend. England take on Italy in Round 2 of the Women’s Six Nations, in what is an unpredictable fixture. Italy took France to their limit last weekend, before suffering a 12-22 home defeat with late tries for ‘les bleus’. The ‘Azzurri’ are mirroring the men’s side, as they are constantly improving, with Scarratt excited for this Sunday’s fixture.
“I think it certainly won’t be easy. It never is against Italy, they’re really well organised and are a great defensive side, and, their attacking ability and flair and kind of unstructured nature is tough. It’s tough to play against. There’ll be wanting to bounce back as well.
I’m sure there’ll be disappointed against that at home, against France, and the result and perhaps how it all played itself out. But yeah, the England girls obviously made a great start. Franklin’s Gardens is a brilliant track in terms of the surface and the ground and the ability to play some decent rugby on a good sized pitch.
“So, yeah, if we keep our fingers crossed that the weather holds for us. It could be a really good weekend. But again, it’ll be another great contest, which I’m really looking forward to.”