Amelia Harper bursts through. Photo credit: David Crawford / www.stillsport.com)

Amelia Harper bursts through. Photo credit: David Crawford / www.stillsport.com

Lightning players receive England call-up

Six Loughborough Lightning players have been called up to the England Women U20s squad for the 2019/20 season.

Iona Antwis, Bryony Field, Emma Hardy, Amelia Harper, Ellen Ramsbottom, and Anya Richmond will all join the core 24-player squad and take part in three-day training camps each month. 

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confirmed that the 2019/20 season focus for this age group is to develop players as individuals. Therefore, the competition phase has now been moved to the summer of 2020 to allow maximum development within and outside of international training camps.

Former England international and RFU Performance Pathway Officer Amy Turner will lead the programme with support from James Cooper.

Turner said:

“We’ve selected a squad with the intent of player development over the course of the season. All players are aged between 17 and 20 so we have a real range, depth and breadth of talent.

“The majority of the group are linked to Tyrrells Premier 15s clubs which allows us to continue working together with those in the domestic game.”

The news follows 2019/20 senior-level England contracts for Sarah Hunter, Lark Davies, Cath O’ Donnell, Katy Daley-Mclean, and Emily Scarratt.

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