SEVEN Saints players have been named in the 2020 England Women Performance Squad.

Craig Richards' 29-player group includes Saints' Paige Travis for the first time.

Also in there from Saints are England 2019 tour captain Emily Rudge, Leah Burke, Chantelle Crowl, Jodie Cunningham, Tara Jones and Naomi Williams.

Warrington Wolves Women back-rower Roxy Muroch, who is the wife of Wire's Tongan forward Ben Murdoch-Masila, makes her first appearance in the EWPS as do Leeds Rhinos quartet Abigail Eatock, Natasha Gaines, Francesca Goldthorp and Chloe Kerrigan, all of whom featured in last year’s Coral Women’s Challenge Cup Final and Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final.

Castleford Tigers’ Lacey Owen is another newcomer, while Carrie Roberts – of the British Army – returns having played for England in 2015.

Richards said: “We felt it was important to name our squads despite the current circumstances to maintain some normality and to ensure the players know where they are in terms of our planning going forward.

“Even though we aren’t meeting and training as a group we have been conducting a number of webinars and online sessions throughout this difficult period which have allowed us to maintain contact and guide the squad.

“Our Athletic Performance Coach Stacey Emmonds has provided the players with training programmes to ensure they’re staying as near to peak fitness as possible despite the current limitations on training.”

The EWKPS will run for the first time under the leadership of former England Women International Lois Forsell, who has been appointed Leeds Rhinos head coach for 2020, and Paul Sculthorpe, the EPU Pathways Coach - with a view to increasing the squad from the 10 players named.

Richards added: “It is important that we continue to manage the programme well whilst remaining focused on 2021 which is a huge year for us hosting the Rugby League World Cup on home soil.”

England Women Performance Squad:

Dannielle Anderson (Leeds Rhinos)

Caitlin Beevers (Leeds Rhinos)

Leah Burke (St Helens)

Chantelle Crowl (St Helens)

Jodie Cunningham (St Helens)

Abigail Eatock (Leeds Rhinos)

Grace Field (Castleford Tigers)

Natasha Gaines (Leeds Rhinos)

Kelsey Gentles (Castleford Tigers)

Francesca Goldthorp (Leeds Rhinos)

Rebecca Greenfield (Wigan Warriors)

Amy Hardcastle (Bradford Bulls)

Shona Hoyle (Castleford Tigers)

Amy Johnson (Leeds Rhinos)

Tara Jones (St Helens)

Chloe Kerrigan (Leeds Rhinos)

Shannon Lacey (Leeds Rhinos)

Victoria Molyneux (Wigan Warriors)

Roxette Murdoch (Warrington Wolves)

Lacey Owen (Castleford Tigers)

Sinead Peach (Castleford Tigers)

Carrie Roberts (British Army)

Georgia Roche (Castleford Tigers)

Emily Rudge (St Helens)

Tara Jane Stanley (Castleford Tigers)

Rachel Thompson (Wigan Warriors)

Paige Travis (St Helens)

Naomi Williams (St Helens)

Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors)

England Women Knights Performance Squad:

Keara Bennett (Leeds Rhinos)

Isabel Bibby (Huddersfield Giants)

Jasmine Cudjoe (Castleford Tigers)

Hollie Mae Dodd (Castleford Tigers)

Elle Frain (Leeds Rhinos)

Tara Moxon (Wakefield Trinity)

Sophie Nuttall (Leeds Rhinos)

Ellie Oldroyd (Leeds Rhinos)

Tamzin Renouf (Castleford Tigers)

Aallisha Rhodes (Wakefield Trinity)