England Women have three standout half-back options for the Rugby League World Cup, with Jenna Foubister, Izzy Rowe and Georgia Roche all competing for a place in the side. The campaign gets under way against Wales on October 17, and head coach Stuart Barrow has picked Izzy Rowe and Georgia Roche to start in the halves.
Two Wigan stars make up one option, with Woman of Steel Jenna Foubister joined by her best friend and Warriors half-back partner Izzy Rowe. Then there is NRLW star and former Woman of Steel Georgia Roche, who has been impressing on the other side of the world.
It is a selection headache that Barrow welcomes as he prepares his side for three pool games, with a place in the semi-finals at stake. England begin against Wales before facing Australia and Samoa in what promises to be a tough pool-stage run.
Barrow faces a tough selection call
Barrow has chosen to put the reigning Woman of Steel on the bench for the opener. He believes the “telepathic” partnership between Foubister and Rowe could prove integral at some point in the tournament, but he cannot leave out one of the best players in the world.
“It is a massive moment for my career. It is the greatest honour to coach your country and to do it in a World Cup, I am really excited,” Barrow said.
“One of the toughest things I have ever experienced is picking this squad. We put a squad of 40 in on September 2, so to pick 23 from that was really tough. There was not a lot in it.
“Sleepless nights, difficult phone calls, but we are where we are now, and I’m sure we’ll move forward and represent the whole group.
“It was about balance and the way we want to play and the opposition we will play out there.
“It is exciting as a coach. It is challenging, but it is exciting.
“I think if you go back four years ago, the squad almost picked itself. The growth of the women’s game now shows that we have such an amazing talent pool coming through and a wider and deeper talent pool.
“We will deal with that, we have some ideas of what we will do and some different scenarios.”
Rowe lives out a childhood dream
Rowe knows she will be battling for her shirt throughout the tournament, and she is living out a childhood dream alongside Foubister. Regardless of who partners her in the halves, she knows she will be part of a monumental milestone in her career.
“It is a massive dream come true. It is something I have wanted for a long time,” Rowe said.
“Going with eight of my team-mates is going to make the tournament a lot easier for me.
“I feel very comfortable around the girls, we know how each other works and plays. But even the girls who don’t play at Wigan, we are really close.
“We have spoken about it together and being able to perform for your country together is a massive dream.
“We can’t wait and hopefully we get that opportunity.
“Obviously Georgia Roche has played in the NRLW, Australia’s elite women’s rugby league competition, and she is a massive player in the team. You cannot argue that she is one of the best half-backs that England has got.
“I have watched Georgia since being a young kid and Jenna is my best mate so whoever plays, I am going to be so proud.”