Emily Scarratt Retires: English Rugby Legend Says Goodbye to the Sport.
English rugby legend, Emily Scarratt, has announced her retirement from the sport. The 35-year-old player, a two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup champion, is concluding a distinguished 17-year career.
Scarratt was a key figure in the 2014 triumph and played a fundamental role in the Red Roses’ victory in September 2025.
She is a unique player, from an exceptional generation.
The RFU’s chief executive, Bill Sweeney, has called her a “role model for thousands of people”.
Scarratt retires as one of the best English players of all time, after a career that spanned 17 years at the top of the sport. She debuted with England in 2008 and won 119 matches.
She has been a key figure in England’s dominance of women’s rugby in the northern hemisphere, winning 11 Six Nations titles. She also captained Team GB at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and won bronze at the Commonwealth Games with England in 2018.
In addition to being a great teammate and center, she also achieved several individual records and honors.
In 2019, she was named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year and is the all-time leading scorer for the Red Roses, with a total of 754 points, with 54 tries, 158 conversions and 56 penalties.
Also holds a unique place in English history, in both the men’s and women’s game. She is the first player to compete in five World Cups, a feat she achieved when she came off the bench in the Red Roses’ opening match against the United States in August 2025.
It has been the greatest privilege to wear the England shirt and represent my country for so many years. Rugby has given me everything; incredible teammates, memories and experiences that I will carry with me forever.
Emily Scarratt
Scarratt will remain linked to the RFU in a specialized coaching and mentoring role, whose objective will be “to support the development of players in England’s pathways and help nurture the next generation of talent”.
The Red Roses coach, John Mitchell, added:
Emily is a player of a unique generation. Her quality, her composure under pressure, and her ability to lead by example set the standard for everyone around her.
John Mitchell, coach of the Red Roses
The RFU’s chief executive, Bill Sweeney, said:
Emily’s contribution to English rugby cannot be overstated: on and off the field she has been a model professional, a leader and a role model for thousands of girls who have taken up the ball thanks to her. We are delighted that she will continue to be part of the England Rugby family next season and that she will continue to help shape its future.
