Hamstring injury rules World Cup winner Clifford out of England's WXV home series

Kelsey Clifford has been ruled out of England’s WXV Global Series home fixtures in September after picking up a hamstring injury, the Red Roses confirmed. The 24-year-old Saracens prop will miss Tests against Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s Black Ferns, though she remains in the training squad with a view to returning for October fixtures against Canada and the USA Women’s Eagles.

Clifford was one of England’s standout performers at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, where the Red Roses ended an 11-year wait for a world title. With Bristol Bears loosehead Hannah Botterman sidelined by a back injury during the tournament, Clifford stepped up to start and scored five tries in six appearances, including a brace against Scotland in the quarter-final.

Club teammate Liz Crake, 31, has been named as her replacement in head coach John Mitchell’s WXV squad. Crake was previously recalled to the Red Roses earlier this year when injuries to both Botterman and Clifford depleted loosehead prop stocks ahead of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France in May.

For England’s opening WXV match, Mitchell has named Mackenzie Carson at loosehead prop, with Botterman listed among the replacements. It will mark Botterman’s first appearance since December 2025, following ankle surgery that kept her off the pitch for several months.

The injury update is the latest in a prolonged period of disruption for England’s squad. At this year’s Women’s Six Nations, Mitchell was without Lark Atkin-Davies, Rosie Galligan, Zoe Stratford and Abbie Ward due to pregnancies, while Tatyana Heard, Natasha Hunt, Morwenna Talling and Alex Matthews were all injured. That crisis prompted the recall of Crake and lock Delaney Burns, with Burns having since retained her place and been named to start against the Wallaroos in Salford.