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England: RFU awards contracts to 32 players.

England: RFU awards contracts to 32 players.

Alkass Digital

The Rugby Football Union has awarded contracts to 32 England players over the next three seasons.

Harlequins' Lucy Packer is the only scrum-half selected, with Natasha Hunt of Gloucester-Hartpury overlooked.

The contracts - of varying lengths - are understood to include a significant pay rise.

New head coach John Mitchell, who will take up his role after the men's World Cup ends on 28 October, was involved in the selection process.

Worcester Warriors wing Lydia Thompson, who was sent off in England's World Cup final defeat by New Zealand in 2022, misses out on a contract.

Hunt co-captained Gloucester-Hartpury to the Premier 15s title last season and was named player of the year.

The contracts includes two players who will shortly go on maternity leave. Two further contracts will be announced this year.

England beat France to seal a Six Nations Grand Slam in front of a record women's crowd of 58,498 at Twickenham in April.

In June the RFU offered players new contracts with "significant enhancements".

Contracted players

Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Jess Breach (Saracens), Mackenzie Carson (TBC) , Poppy Cleall (Saracens), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers), Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins), Lark Davies (Bristol Bears), Abby Dow (Ealing Trailfinders), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Cath O'Donnell (Loughborough), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Connie Powell (Harlequins), Amber Reed (Bristol Bears), Helena Rowland (Loughborough), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears).