SEVEN Gloucester Hartpury players have been named in the Red Roses training squad as preparations begin for this autumn’s WXV Global Series campaign.

Mackenzie Carson, Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Alex Matthews, Maud Muir, Jade Shekells, Emma Sing and Mia Venner have all been included in head coach John Mitchell’s 40 player group.

The latest selections come only a week after the same seven players were awarded Red Roses contracts for the 2026/27 season, underlining Gloucester Hartpury’s continued contribution to the national set-up.

England’s preparations will begin with a three week pre-season camp in Nottingham before the squad moves to The Lensbury in London ahead of the opening WXV fixture.

The Red Roses will face Australia at Salford’s CorpAcq Stadium on Saturday, September 12, before hosting Canada at Sandy Park in Exeter a week later. Their final home fixture of the series will see them take on New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, September 26.

Mitchell said selection was only the start of the process and stressed that places had been earned because of the players’ ability to contribute to the squad’s long term ambitions.

He said the coaching staff wanted players who would embrace the Red Roses environment, strengthen connections within the group, develop the physical demands needed for Test rugby and approach every training session with enthusiasm and determination.

Mitchell added that England were aiming to build an exciting and ruthless style of rugby, with training sessions designed to exceed the intensity of international matches so every selected player could step seamlessly into Test competition.

For Gloucester Hartpury, having seven representatives in the national squad continues the club’s reputation as one of the leading producers of elite women’s rugby talent and provides another boost ahead of the new domestic season.