England rugby stars Emily Scarratt and Natasha Hunt have predicted a bright future for the women’s game after becoming the first players to be awarded full-time XVs contracts for 2019.
Scarratt and Hunt, along with Harlequins winger Jess Breach, have moved back from the women’s sevens team that came fourth at Rio 2016 and claimed a bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
They join 25 other players in going full-time in the XVs format ahead of the 2019 Six Nations and the 2021 Rugby World Cup, and Hunt, 29, welcomed it as a pivotal step forward for the women’s game in England.
Since her England debut in 2008, Emily Scarratt has made 74 appearances at XVs level
Scrum-half Natasha Hunt opted to rejoin the XVs team instead of remaining with the sevens
She said: ‘The RFU has taken a leap of faith in giving us these contracts and it is massive for the game
‘Girls now have a choice, they can chase the sun for sevens or go professional in XVs. Having those options, it’s just amazing for the sport.
‘That is fantastic, we want to be athletes who people look up to.
‘Girls can now aspire to be professional athletes and that is amazing. As a female rugby player if people are aspiring to be you that is the dream.’
Scarratt and Hunt were both part of the 2014 World Cup winning team before switching to sevens for Team GB's ultimately unsuccessful Rio 2016 campaign and then returning to the full format for the 2017 World Cup.
Having had less than a year to re-adapt, the team reached the final and Hunt and Scarratt started in the 41-32 final defeat to New Zealand.
Now the pair are ready to seize a second chance to crown their ground-breaking careers with more glory.
Scarratt captained Team GB to fourth place in the first ever Olympic sevens event at Rio 2016
Scarratt, 28, said: ‘When you compete at something and you set a target like medalling at an Olympics and you come up short it is difficult and any athlete wants to do that again and try and make it right and win that medal.
‘But rugby works in cycles and it is different. I grew up playing XVs it has always been close to my heart and when the opportunity came up to be professional in XVs it was a tough decision but I’m glad I made
