Katy Daley-Mclean: Former England captain and women’s rugby ‘icon’ retires from international duty

Katy Daley-Mclean celebrated an eighth Six Nations Grand Slam triumph with England last month 
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George Flood18 December 2020

Former England women’s captain Katy Daley-Mclean has announced her retirement from internatonal rugby.

Fly-half Daley-Mclean led the Red Roses to World Cup glory in France in 2014 and registered 542 points in an illustrious England career spanning 13 years and 116 caps.

Only Rochelle Clark and current skipper Sarah Hunter have more international appearances to their name for England Women than the 35-year-old, who was awarded an MBE in 2014 for her services to rugby.

Daley-Mclean also helped the team to reach another World Cup Final in 2017, where they lost to New Zealand, and won no fewer than eight Six Nations Grand Slam titles, with the most recent coming in November.

She also represented Team GB in sevens action at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In a statement, Daley-Mclean - who became a parent 18 months ago - cited her desire to spend more time with her daughter and passion to further develop her coaching as reasons behind her decision to step down from England duty, having joined Sale Sharks as a player-coach at the start of the 2020/21 season.

"Having had time to reflect following the autumn internationals, I have decided now is the right time to retire from international rugby," said Daley-Mclean, who has also represented Darlington Mowden Park Sharks and Loughborough Lightning during her club career.

"This has been a difficult but relatively quick decision and feels like the right time. I have been fortunate to be involved in four World Cup campaigns in my career and to win one. It has been a total privilege to be a Red Rose. I'll be the team's number one fan."

England Women head coach Simon Middleton paid tribute to a rugby “icon” and “unbelievable motivator.”

“The influence she’s had on the women’s game worldwide for England has been absolutely sensational,” he said. "Katy has continually adapted and shown her versatility as a player and her technical and tactical understanding as a player to play at the level she has for so long in such a pivotal position is incredible.

“People probably forget just what a good sevens player she was. She transferred her skillset from XVs to sevens which took her all across the World Series and the Olympics. I was fortunate to be able to coach her and work with her in both formats. I’ve spoken to Katy at length and she’s evaluated what’s currently closest to her in her life."

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