Emily Scott graduates to the Women's EPS

Thurrock hooker Mercedes Foy and Lichfield prop Justine Lucas have been included after impressing during this summer’s Nations Cup, whilst Worcester centre Megan Goddard, Durham’s Sophie Lee, Saracens’ Leanne Riley, Bristol’s Siobhan Longdon-Hughes and Amy Wilson-Hardy all graduate from the England Under 20s or the Sevens Development squads.

Thurrock fly-half Emily Scott, who made her England debut in last season’s Six Nations campaign, makes the natural step-up to the EPS and Saracens’ Sarah McKenna also returns.

There are also call-ups for Megan Ellery, younger sister of England Sevens player Mike Ellery, and Deborah Fleming, who is the first player to be selected into the EPS from UK Sport’s Power 2 Podium talent identification programme. Both players impressed in the England Sevens Open Trials held earlier this year.

The England squads will compete in another rigorous and competitive international programme this season. The XVs will be involved in an Autumn International Series in November (details to be confirmed shortly) followed by the Six Nations Championship in the New Year. These two series will be invaluable preparation for the 2014 Rugby World Cup which takes place in France in August.

England Sevens, meanwhile, will compete in the expanded IRB World Sevens Series which sees Dubai, the USA, China, Brazil, Amsterdam and one other country (TBC) all host rounds.

England Head Coach Gary Street said: “This season we have selected a squad of 50 players for our EPS and this is because of the challenge a World Cup year brings as well as being one of eight teams selected for every Sevens World Series events. This is a really exciting squad with several established and experienced players mixed with some new, fresh talent from the U20s and the Sevens development programme.

“This is obviously a huge year for England Rugby and although the 2010 RWC doesn’t seem that long ago the excitement for the 2014 tournament has already started to build. We will certainly be providing our players with a comprehensive playing programme as we build towards the RWC next summer. The players who kicked off their Premiership season on Sunday are already chomping at the bit.”

In addition to the EPS, an England World Cup training squad will also be selected from the EPS in November to support preparations for the WRWC. This squad will receive increased training time and enhanced resources available to them in the New Year.

Street added: “Although we will be selecting 30 players to join a RWC training squad, this squad will by no means be a definitive squad for the World Cup. Selecting this group of players nine months out will be hugely important for us but we will also continue to monitor players throughout the season.”

England EPS 2013/2014

Claire Allan   (Richmond)

Margaret        Alphonsi (Saracens)

Emily  Braund           (Lichfield)

Natasha         Brennan        (Wasps)

Rachael         Burford           (Thurrock)

Rowena         Burnfield       (Richmond)

Lauren           Cattell (Saracens)

Abigail            Chamberlain (Richmond)

Rochelle        Clark   (Worcester)

Emma Croker            (Richmond)

Fiona  Davidson       (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

*Megan          Ellery  (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

Becky Essex (Richmond)

Heather          Fisher (Worcester)

Vicky  Fleetwood     (Lichfield)

*Deborah       Fleming         (Bristol)

*Mercedes     Foy     (Thurrock)

Hannah         Gallagher      (Saracens)

*Megan          Goddard         (Worcester)

Georgina       Gulliver          (Lichfield)

Sophie           Hemming       (Bristol)

Natasha         Hunt   (Lichfield)

Sarah Hunter            (Lichfield)

Laura  Keates            (Worcester)

Ceri     Large  (Worcester)

Ruth   Laybourn       (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

*Sophie          Lee     (Durham University)

*Siobhan       Longdon-Hughes    (Bristol)

*Justine         Lucas (Lichfield)

La Toya          Mason            (Wasps)

Alexandra      Matthews       (Richmond)

Francesca     Matthews       (Richmond)

Joanna          McGilchrist    (Wasps)

*Sarah            McKenna       (Saracens)

Katy    McLean          (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

Katherine      Merchant       (Worcester)

Harriet            Millar-Mills     (Lichfield)

Marlie Packer            (Wasps)

Claire Purdy (Wasps)

Amber            Reed  (Bristol)

*Leanne         Riley   (Saracens)

Emily  Scarratt          (Lichfield)

*Emily Scott   (Thurrock)

Michaela        Staniford        (Wasps)

Tamara           Taylor (Lichfield)

Lydia  Thompson     (Worcester)

Sally   Tuson (Saracens)

Danielle         Waterman      (Bristol)

Kay     Wilson            (Bristol)

*Amy   Wilson-Hardy            (Bristol)

*Denotes new squad member