Sarah Hunter to break England cap record with 138th outing in World Cup quarters
Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing
Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news
Thanks for signing up to the
Sport email
Sarah Hunter will become England’s most capped player when she captains her country in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Australia.
Hunter, 37, is set to make her 138th appearance for the Red Roses in Auckland, surpassing the previous record held by Rochelle Clark, while Sarah Bern will win her 50th cap.
No player in the men’s or women’s game has played for England more than Hunter, and coach Simon Middleton paid tribute to the number eight.
Middleton, who named his team for the last-eight clash on Thursday, said: “Sunday is a special day for two Red Roses.
“I’d like to give a special mention to Sarah Hunter, who becomes the most capped England player of all time across the men’s and women’s game.
Recommended
“To earn 138 caps for your country is a remarkable achievement and deserves to be celebrated. The way she conducts herself in everything she does both on and off the field is admirable.
“Her people skills, ability to lead and communicate with people from all walks of life makes her stand out. She takes pride in everything she does and does it to the best of her ability.
She is a unique person and captain
“I think as a sports person the one thing you hope you can do when you look back is to be able to say to yourself, ‘I couldn’t have given more, I’ve been the best I could be’ – Sarah is one of the very few who will be able to unequivocally do that. She is a unique person and captain.”
On 25-year-old prop Bern, Middleton added: “Sarah Bern also reaches 50 caps, which is remarkable for someone so young.
“Sarah broke onto the scene at a young age and has become an integral part of our group from both a playing and leadership perspective. We’re delighted for her.”
Tatyana Heard keeps her place at inside centre after her impressive performance against South Africa last weekend.
Register for free to continue reading
Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism
By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists
{{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}
By clicking ‘Create my account’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply.
Already have an account? sign in
By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply.
Register for free to continue reading
Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism
By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists
{{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}
By clicking ‘Create my account’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply.
Already have an account? sign in
By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply.
Source: Read Full Article