Two Chiefs Women named in England U21s training camp

Exeter Chiefs Women’s Zoë Dare and Lilly Plowman have been selected for the 34-player squad for this week’s England U21s Women’s camp at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.

Exeter University’s Katherine Dyke and Francesca Welsher are also involved.

The U21s open their 2026 with a four-day meeting in Berkshire starting tomorrow, then assembling next week at Loughborough University’s Elite Athlete Centre during the PWR break.

Boasting previous U20s caps, Sophie Hopkins, Poppy Love and Lucy Simpson are reintegrated into the squad as three of 18 capped squad members.

Alongside Hopkins, Jasmine Adonri, Keevy Fitzpatrick, Haidee Head, Hayley Jones, Haineala Lutui and Annabel Meta return from Pennyhill Park after training with John Mitchell’s Red Roses earlier on this week.

Former U18s representatives Dyke, Aisha Jah and Eva Ladyman join the U21s set-up in Bisham, with Dare and Welsher also involved. Exeter Chiefs’ Dare was a late replacement for Joia Bennett in December’s Loughborough camp and earns her second call-up from head coach LJ Lewis.

Dare (above), who played for England Students last summer, said: “I’m really excited to be named in the U21s squad and to represent Chiefs. Any opportunity to wear the rose is a huge honour and I’m really looking forward to it.”

As of the 2025/26 campaign, Lewis’ side will now operate as an U21s age-grade with the ability to call in up to five U23 players. The move is to enable a longer opportunity to support the development of more U18 graduates and a general wider player pool entering their adult rugby journey in an international environment.

Fixtures for England U21s Women, including warm-up matches and the Six Nations schedule, will be announced in due course.

Lewis said: “Throughout the upcoming two-week block, we’re aiming to build on the momentum created in our opening camp of the season in Loughborough pre-Christmas.

“With a wider player pool, our competitive standards within the squad have elevated and we have been pleased with our players’ evident courage and leadership in our short time together.

“The gap in domestic club rugby affords us the opportunity to strengthen our bond as a group and concentrate our efforts on aligning our framework before match activity this spring.”