England DiSE Class of 26’ head to France this evening

The England Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) Women’s U18s team will face Catalans Dragons Women this evening (KO 7.30pm) with many of the squad facing overseas opposition for the very first time.

The 2026 tour marks a first for the DiSE programme, featuring two matches instead of the usual standalone fixture. The squad will face Catalans Dragons Women on Wednesday (1 July) before taking on France U19s on Saturday (4 July).

DiSE is the first step on the England Performance Pathway, a national programme for Year 12 and 13 girls who have the potential to play at the highest level of the game – representing England Rugby League Women’s senior team.

A squad of 25 drawn from five Betfred Women’s Super League clubs and two from the community game have travelled to France for the fixture at Stade De La Mer in Le Barcarès, which will give the promising young players their first experience of international Rugby League.

Rugby Football League DiSE Manager, Conor Meese, said:

“The France tour concludes a very positive two years on the DiSE programme for the 2024-26 cohort of players.

“In addition to the camp experiences the players have had in England, the international tour exposes the players further, challenging them on and off the field overseas.

“The 2026 tour will be a first for the programme in that it will be a two-game playing experience. We are very excited to see how they perform and I’m very confident the players will positively represent the programme they have worked so hard on over the two years.

“The whole squad will get to experience what it is like to represent and play on an overseas tour and put into practice the skills they have learnt on and off the field - not only at DiSE - but with their clubs who have worked really hard in developing the players to this stage.”

DiSE is a ‘dual career’ performance programme which combines education and elite rugby development. Players receive high-level training delivered on a camp basis by the England Performance Unit with Stuart Barrow, England Women Head Coach, closely monitoring their development throughout their journey.

DiSE touring squad 2026:

Chloe Ashley (Wigan Warriors), Hannah Black (York Valkyrie), Madison Clegg (Huddersfield Giants), Mia Drescher (St Helens), Leila D’Symonds (Manchester Swinton Lionesses), Lyla Finch (St Helens), Trinity Gallagher (Leeds Rhinos), Ellie Garside (Huddersfield Giants), Daisy Ginger (Leeds Rhinos), Imogen Hallas (Leeds Rhinos), Martha Hodgson (Huddersfield Giants), Keira Holling (York Valkyrie), Ella Howe (Hull KR), Zoe King (St Helens), Abi Liu (Huddersfield Giants), Charlotte Meredith (Wigan Warriors), Diamond Osobu (Leeds Rhinos), Tegan Sent (Huddersfield Giants), Lill Seal (Leeds Rhinos), Charlotte Shaw (Huddersfield Giants), Lily Sheron (St Helens), Harriet Silk (St Helens), Olivia Turner (York Valkyrie), Ava Wilson (Wigan Warriors), Phoebe Wilson (Leeds Rhinos)