Female coaches have a significant impact, says Scarratt
Quick Reads
- Emily Scarratt, 35, has retired from rugby after a 17-year international career with England’s Red Roses.
- Scarratt ends as England’s all-time leading points scorer with 754 points across 119 caps, and is a two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner (2014, 2025).
- She became the first player, male or female, in English rugby history to compete at five World Cups.
- Head coach John Mitchell has signed a new long-term deal to lead England through the next World Cup cycle.
- Scarratt will stay connected to the game, taking on an attack and backs coaching role for the 2026 Women’s Six Nations alongside a specialist mentoring position with the RFU.
Emily Scarratt has brought the curtain down on one of the most decorated careers in the history of women’s rugby. The centre and former England captain announced her retirement in October 2025, just weeks after helping the Red Roses claim the Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil at Twickenham. She departs as the greatest points scorer England has ever produced, in either the men’s or women’s game, with 754 points to her name across 119 Test appearances. At the same time, the RFU confirmed that World Cup-winning head coach John Mitchell has committed to a new long-term deal, ensuring continuity at the top of the programme he has transformed.
Scarratt’s career began in 2008 when an 18-year-old from Leicester came off the bench to score on her England debut against the United States. It ended in the same fixture, 17 years later, in the same match-up, at the 2025 World Cup opener. In those years between, she won 11 Women’s Six Nations titles, captained Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics, claimed Commonwealth Games bronze in 2018, and became the 2019 World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year. She was central to England’s 2014 World Cup triumph, finishing as the tournament’s top points scorer with 70 points, and remained a significant presence, on and off the pitch, as the Red Roses lifted the trophy again in September 2025 in front of a sold-out Twickenham crowd.
“I still love the game, but the time feels right to step away,” Scarratt said in her retirement statement. “You don’t always get the chance in sport to make that decision for yourself, and I feel so lucky to do so on my own terms, proud of everything I’ve been part of.”
Her 754 Test points, made up of 54 tries, 158 conversions and 56 penalties, stand as a Red Roses record that is unlikely to be threatened any time soon. Her retirement, though expected, closes a chapter that reshaped what was possible for women’s rugby in England, both in terms of results and the visibility of the game itself. From amateur weekend camps to professional contracts, to 80,000-plus crowds at a World Cup final, Scarratt lived through every stage of that transformation.
Mitchell, whose tenure has delivered 25 consecutive victories, two Women’s Six Nations Grand Slams, two WXV 1 titles, and England’s first World Cup success in 11 years, has now formally committed to taking the team through another full cycle. Under his stewardship, England have cemented their world No 1 ranking with a rating of 98.09 points, the highest ever recorded by any men’s or women’s team in the history of the global game.
This extension provides continuity across a World Cup cycle and enables the programme to operate with a clear, long-term vision, Mitchell said. There is a strong sense of unfinished opportunities within the group, and that will shape our preparation, training approach, and ongoing drive to raise our floor as we build our hunger in dynasty.
By the Numbers
- 119 — England caps won by Scarratt across her 17-year career
- 754 — Test points scored, the all-time Red Roses record (54 tries, 158 conversions, 56 penalties)
- 11 — Women’s Six Nations titles won with England
- 2 — Women’s Rugby World Cup titles (2014 and 2025)
- 5 — World Cups competed in, a first for any English rugby player, men’s or women’s
- 25 — Consecutive wins under John Mitchell heading into 2026
- 98.09 — England’s world ranking points under Mitchell, the highest ever recorded by any team in World Rugby rankings history
- 2 — Grand Slams won under Mitchell in the Women’s Six Nations
Scarratt is not stepping away from the game entirely. She will take on lead attack and backs coaching responsibilities for the 2026 Women’s Six Nations, while also continuing as an assistant coach at PWR club Loughborough Lightning. Her broader RFU role will focus on player development across the England pathways, bringing her knowledge directly into the next generation of Red Roses talent.
Mitchell’s backroom will also see changes. Louis Deacon remains as forwards coach and Sarah Hunter continues in defence, while Lou Meadows departs her role as attack coach, a position that Scarratt will effectively fill for the Six Nations campaign.
RFU CEO Bill Sweeney paid tribute to Scarratt’s wider impact: On and off the field she has been a model professional, a leader, and a role model for thousands of girls who have picked up the ball because of her. We’re delighted that she’ll remain part of the England Rugby family.
