• Sarah Hunter will become England’s joint most-capped player.
• 37-year-old will tie former prop, Rocky Clark, with 137 caps when she starts against France.
• Head coach Simon Middleton says Hunter is about breaking records, not equalling them.

Sarah Hunter, the captain of England, is “extremely proud” to be the team’s joint most-capped player. However, she says that the World Cup is the only thing on her mind right now.

When she starts against France in England’s second pool game on Saturday, number eight Hunter, who is 37, will tie former prop, Rocky Clark, with 137 caps.

She didn’t want to talk about it too much, but she did say, “I feel very honored.

“It will be a nice moment but the focus has to be what is at hand.”

Head coach Simon Middleton said he would hold back full praise “until the next time she plays” and overtakes Clark because Hunter “is about breaking records not equalling them”.

“I’ve never seen Sarah playing poorly or training poorly,” he added. “Her poor is most people’s best.”

Even though the team is happy about Hunter’s achievement, the financial problems at Worcester and Wasps mean that the futures of some players are uncertain at their clubs.

Lydia Thompson, a wing, and Laura Keates, a prop, are both on the England team for Worcester. Abby Dow, on the other hand, plays for Wasps.

“The players have got an arm around them from everybody here,” Middleton said.

“They have 100% support in whatever capacity they need. It is a real tough situation for them.

“They’ve been unbelievably professional as you’d expect and if you ask them about it they will say their focus is here. We hope everything works out for them and they know we’re here for them.”

The only change England made to the team that beat Fiji 84–19 in the first game was to bring back star flanker Marlie Packer after she got hurt.

France is also looking for consistency after their 40–5 win over South Africa. Agathe Sochat replaces Laure Touye as the hooker in the starting XV, which means that Laure Touye is on the bench.

Lock Celine Ferer is captain and plays in the second row with the powerful Madoussou Fall. The usual captain, Gaelle Hermet, is on the bench because she hurt her knee.

As a lock, Safi N’Diaye brings more experience to the replacements.

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