English rugby must adjust to life without Emily Scarratt after the 35-year-old announced her retirement following a 17-year career. The centre earned 119 caps and won two World Cups for England while establishing herself as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 754 points.
Scarratt’s journey began in 2008 and saw her become one of the most dependable players in international rugby. She helped England secure 11 Six Nations titles and became the first and only English player to compete in five World Cups. Her ability to maintain peak performance across nearly two decades made her a constant in England’s success.
The retiring star’s statistical legacy is formidable. Along with her points record, she ranks third all-time for England in both caps and tries. Her versatility in scoring – through tries, conversions, and penalties – gave England multiple attacking dimensions. In 2019, her exceptional form earned her the World Rugby Player of the Year award.
At the 2014 Rugby World Cup, Scarratt produced a tournament performance for the ages. She was named player of the final and led all scorers with 70 points, delivering consistently brilliant performances under intense pressure. These displays helped England win the championship and cemented her reputation as one of the game’s great match-winners.
Scarratt’s talents extended to sevens rugby, where she captained Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won a Commonwealth Games bronze with England sevens in 2018. She will remain at Loughborough Lightning as an assistant coach and take on a mentoring role with the RFU. England head coach John Mitchell praised her as a once-in-a-generation player whose leadership and quality set standards. Scarratt expressed pride in contributing to women’s rugby’s evolution and excitement about her new coaching roles.
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