This month England named the 48 players and we were really proud to report that five of these players are Sharks! We caught up with the players to find out what they are looking forward to the most about the opportunity...

After competing for Team GB sevens at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Katy Mclean, 30, has made a direct transition back into the 15-a-side game and retains her full-time contract with England at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre...

“I’m in an amazing position that I have already been living the dream and working as a full-time rugby player for the last two years. It’s truly a privilege to be paid to do something that you love. I have had the pleasure to see the growth of the women's game over the last 10 years and it’s incredible to think about the changes that have been made in such a short space of time. I’m so happy to see the 15s girls being awarded a contract as it will make a huge difference in our preparation for the upcoming World Cup! ”

Rachael Woosey, 19, joins Katy at Bisham Abbey on a part-time basis, balancing her degree-level study at Bishop Burton College with travel to and from Bisham Abbey on a weekly basis, training from Monday to Thursday...

“It feels amazing to have a contract at such a young age, being paid to play rugby has always been a dream so I’m really happy!

“I’m looking forward to new experiences, playing in world-class tournaments and basically travelling to amazing places to play! It really shows that the women’s game is moving in the right direction and there are a lot more opportunities there for people to aspire towards.”

One of the most experienced players in the England team, Tamara Taylor, 34, will commence a short-term professional contract which will see her take a secondment from her current Community Rugby Coaching role with England Rugby to join the professional squad...

“I’ve been a member of the England squad for 11 years and have seen some fantastic changes and growth over this time, but this, by far, will be the biggest investment into women’s rugby I’ve ever seen.

“It is a massive honour and a privilege to be offered a contract to be a professional rugby player for eight months, and I’m really grateful to England Rugby for allowing me to take time off from work. The girls all work so hard to juggle work, life, and elite rugby, so this will be an amazing opportunity to train together and gel as a squad, while getting the rest and recovery our bodies need. We have a world title to retain, and this is going to give us the best possible opportunity to work towards that. I can’t wait to get stuck in and ‘live the dream’. Who wouldn’t be excited to be paid to train for and play the sport they love?”

After rising rapidly through the junior England ranks and into the elite squad, Abbie Scott, 23, will also start her professional contract from January. Currently recovering from a knee injury sustained in the Six Nations competition, Abbie will join a cohort of players who have developed through the England talent development system...

“The opportunity to be a professional rugby player is hugely exciting. To be able to focus fully on training and recovery hopefully means that we can push our individual and team performance to the max.

“I feel extremely grateful to be given this opportunity and we are all aware that there is a huge amount of hard work ahead to retain the World Cup. This is not only a step forward for us as individuals but for women’s rugby as a whole.

“Continued investment, exposure and participation in the game makes women’s rugby a very exciting sport to be a part of at the moment. Bring on 2017!”

La Toya Mason, 32, is the AASE Girls Rugby Coach at Bishop Burton College and will balance this role with the support of her colleagues and management at the college when she joins the professional ranks later this season. As one of the people responsible for nurturing players such as Rachael Woosey, Toya knows what a difference a consistent training environment can make...

“Receiving a short-term contract in such a big year for women’s rugby is amazing and a big step for women’s sport on the whole in England. With the World Cup in August and us wanting to defend the title, being contracted players and getting valuable rugby time together will be a great start for us.

“Having the support of the RFU to back us and make these contracts possible is huge. With the support and backing from our clubs means so much to us as players and I personally am blessed to have this opportunity. I’m looking forward to getting into a full-time environment come January and preparing ourselves the best we can to defend our title.”

Shark’s Head Coach, Phil Sharpe shared his thoughts on how he plans to support the contracted players as they prepare for the World Cup 2017...

“We are at the beginning of a major step forwards for women’s rugby. To have so many of our players included in the elite squad, some with the additional reward of contracts to represent their country is a testament to their hard work and to Sharks’ commitment to player development. We look forward to working with them all to help them achieve their potential as Sharks and as elite players”

England will start their Autumn Campaign with matches against France, Canada and New Zealand in the Old Mutual Wealth Series in November.

Interested in supporting a Shark? Join our ‘Friends of Sharks’ programme to support the AND be in with a chance of winning £25 each week! The programme costs £8.67 per month (standing order) and all monies go towards the operational costs of the Sharks senior teams as well as contributing to the junior girls section too. Find out more and register by emailing us: sharksloverugby@hotmail.com