Australia-born Jasmin Strange is one of four potential debutants in England’s 23-strong squad for the World Cup.
Sydney Roosters second-row forward Strange, who is set to play in Sunday’s NRLW Grand Final against Brisbane Broncos, has committed herself to England, for whom she qualifies through her mother Adele.
The 23-year-old is the daughter of Roosters women’s head coach John Strange, who played for Featherstone in the 1990s.
Strange is joined by three uncapped players – Leeds Rhinos’ Connie Boyd, Hope Millard of Canterbury Bulldogs, and Wigan Warriors’ Lucie Sams.
In addition to Strange and Millard, whose father Shane was a forward for Widnes, Leeds and Wigan, three other NRLW players have made the squad – including dual code international Fran Goldthorp, who last played rugby league for her country at the most recent World Cup in 2022.
Newcastle Knights’ Georgia Roche and Hollie-Mae Dodd of Canberra Raiders have also been included.
Strange’s inclusion as a heritage player – one who qualifies through parentage – comes after eligibility rules were relaxed this year.
An International Rugby League ruling means that players can now represent more than one of the three tier one nations – Australia, New Zealand and England.
That led to speculation that Stu Barrow might call on more heritage players with NRLW experience – such as Roosters playmaker Jocelyn Kelleher, Bulldogs half-back Tayla Preston and Wests Tigers full-back Caitlin Turnbull.
But head coach Stu Barrow has said he wants to give homegrown players an opportunity to develop.
All three Woman of Steel nominees – Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter and Megan Williams – have been selected, along with six of their Wigan team-mates. Grand Final winners York Valkyrie have one player in the squad in forward Liv Wood.
Loose forward Jodie Cunningham, who will retire after the World Cup, is selected along with St Helens team-mate Vicky Whitfield, who will be competing at her fourth World Cup.
Barrow said: “Narrowing our squad from 40 players to a final 23 has involved some difficult decisions, but we believe we have the right balance of experience and youth to compete on the world stage.
“It’s also an exciting moment for the programme with the inclusion of Australian-based heritage players for the first time.”
This year’s men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups will run concurrently, with England competing in all three. The wheelchair squad was announced last week, while the men’s squad will be confirmed on 5 October.
The tournaments are being staged largely in Australia, with Papua New Guinea’s men and women each playing two pool matches in their own country, and their New Zealand counterparts playing one.
England face three group matches – beginning in Perth against Wales on 17 October and Australia on 24 October, before facing Samoa in Wollongong on 30 October.
The top two sides in England’s four-team group with go through to the semi-finals on 7 and 8 November, with the final on 15 November.