'emotional' Hunt Delighted About World Cup Return

Women's Rugby World Cup 2025

Host nation: England Dates: 22 August-27 September

Coverage: Selected matches connected BBC TV, pinch each crippled unrecorded connected BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app; perceive connected BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Sports Extra

England scrum-half Natasha Hunt says her action successful John Mitchell's 32-player squad for adjacent month's location Women's Rugby World Cup made her "quite emotional".

The 36-year-old was a astonishment omission from nan Red Roses' past World Cup squad 3 years agone successful New Zealand.

But since Mitchell's presence arsenic caput coach aft his clip pinch Japan men's broadside astatine nan 2023 World Cup, Hunt has been his regular starting scrum-half.

"Last clip was 1 of nan astir difficult times for me," said 80-cap Hunt.

"To put myself into that squad is everything and I ne'er return this garment for granted.

"I was rather emotional. It hits maine each now and then. I americium a spot of a softie and I do get affectional astir it.

"It doesn't mean I americium not resilient arsenic I americium emotional, it conscionable intends I attraction truthful much."

Gloucester-Hartpury's Hunt started England's astir caller World Cup last victory complete Canada successful 2014 and besides nan final conclusion by New Zealand successful 2017.

She past took a break successful 2021 from world work aft being "unhappy", earlier returning for England's 2022 Women's Six Nations Grand Slam triumph.

Following nan disappointment of not making nan past World Cup, astatine which England mislaid 34-31 to tourney hosts New Zealand successful nan final, Hunt has deed immoderate of her career-best shape nether Mitchell.

"Mitch [Mitchell] understands maine truthful overmuch arsenic a person. It wasn't dodgy but nan first clip I met him he pulled maine speech successful a corridor," nan seasoned scrum-half revealed.

"He fundamentally told maine 'why are you successful your head?' He said 'I spot you and I want you to spell retired and do your thing'.

"That infinitesimal for maine meant truthful overmuch aft everything that had gone connected before. I've ever wanted to beryllium nan champion I tin beryllium and I person sometimes held myself backmost and been safe successful what I americium doing.

"He's fixed maine nan assurance to spell retired and do it. His honesty is thing I americium really grateful for."

Hunt is 1 of 4 world champions successful nan Red Roses' World Cup squad from their triumph 11 years ago.

Emily Scarratt, Marlie Packer and Alex Matthews will besides look to make it a double connected 27 September erstwhile nan last is staged astatine Twickenham Stadium.

"It is monolithic [to person that experience] and we cognize that feeling," Hunt added.

"Marlie [Packer] said truthful good astir it earlier, astir wanting that emotion successful nan changing room afterwards. We want that for everyone.

"That will decidedly support driving america on, but we person to beryllium wherever our feet are and surviving successful nan infinitesimal done this World Cup.

"The astir vulnerable point we tin do is get carried distant astir what is to travel and miss what is successful beforehand of us.

"It would beryllium unthinkable and we will tie connected those experiences, but it is astir this group and what we are doing and really we get there."