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England Rugby Captain Jo Yapp

WSR got down and dirty with England's Capt Jo Yapp ahead of the New Zealand Tour and the World Cup in Canada in 2006
The Year 2003 has gone down in History as being the most memorable year for England Rugby with Martin Johnston leading England to Rugby World Cup glory, but this season rugby hopes to be celebrating again with England’s Women serious contenders for victory in the Women’s World Cup in Edmonton, Canada.

England Squad/photo Rugbymatters.net
The World Cup gets underway in August, but preparations to win the sport’s ultimate prize are well underway and rugby matters on the pitch will certainly get serious in October when England travel to New Zealand for an action packed three weeks where they take on Samoa, New Zealand A and reigning World Champions the Black Ferns.


Leading the ship will be one of England's most experienced squad members scrum-half Jo Yapp. The Worcester number nine took over the captaincy armband for last season’s Six Nations and even though England were disappointed not to win the European tournament, finishing a narrow second to France, head coach Geoff Richards has retained his faith in the 25 year-old teacher.


Amy Garnett and Gill Burns
World Cup 2002 Barcelona Eng Vs NZ/photo Rugbymatters.net

Leading the ship will be one of England's most experienced squad members scrum-half Jo Yapp. The Worcester number nine took over the captaincy armband for last season’s Six Nations and even though England were disappointed not to win the European tournament, finishing a narrow second to France, head coach Geoff Richards has retained his faith in the 25 year-old teacher.



"Yapp has followed in her brother’s footsteps by taking up the oval ball game at the age of 13. Tony Yapp is a professional rugby player having played top-flight rugby with Bedford before moving to Division One side Exeter Chiefs where he now plays at fly-half."

Yapp said: "It is a massive honour for me to be leading England into such an important year for us. Personally it is a great achievement but also when I look around at the squad, of which there are so many natural leaders, I know that I have an amazing squad around me who will deliver the best they can."

England's Captain and Worchester N0 9
Jo Yapp/photo Rugbymatters.net


Jo Yapp England's Captain and Worchester N0 9

Jo Yapp/photo Rugbymatters.net
Yapp has played in England’s last two world cups, including England’s disappointing 19-9 defeat to the Black Ferns in the 2002 Barcelona World Cup final. However, she has also tasted success against the mighty New Zealanders winning three games out of a four test tour against them and Australia in 2001.
Understandably she is filled with feelings of both trepidation and excitement as England head towards two tough tests against the Black Ferns and then a World Cup.
The aim this season is to win the World Cup, but before we do that we must beat New Zealand in their own backyard," she added. "This tour will be a really good benchmark for us. It will give us the chance to see where we are in comparison to the team rated as the best in the world. We don’t get that many real pressure games even within the Six Nations so the more pressure games we can get the better it is for us and this tour will certainly do that."

"It will be tough, but we have definitely got more strength in depth than we have ever had before. In the past if there were a few injuries, we were concerned. Now we know we have the backup and quality backup.
"It’s hard to say exactly how well we will do on this tour. The last time we played against New Zealand at the Churchill Cup in 2004 we fell to a heavy defeat but I think whatever the results we are going to learn a lot about our opposition and about ourselves which can only help us before a world cup."

England Women’s head coach Geoff Richards announced his squad of 28 to travel to New Zealand in October as England prepare for the 2006 Rugby World Cup in Canada...more



Jo with teammate Michaela Staniforth/photo rugbymatters.net

Yapp will be backed up by a whole host of current and future stars. Coach Richards has named an impressive 28-woman line-up for the tour including the established stars of Georgia Stevens, Selena Rudge and Jenny Sutton.

Richards added: “With this squad we are in a much stronger position than we were four years ago for the 2002 World Cup. We have greater strength in depth in all positions. I am very excited about the squad and we are looking forward to kicking off our World Cup preparations which starts with our tour to New Zealand next month.”



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