One of England’s finest rugby players has announced her retirement. Emily Scarratt, who earned 119 caps and won two World Cups over a 17-year career, has decided at age 35 that the time is right to step away from playing. She will remain involved in the sport through coaching positions at club and international level.
The centre’s career statistics tell the story of sustained excellence. She finishes as England’s all-time leading points-scorer with 754 and ranks third in both caps and tries. Since her 2008 debut, she helped England dominate the Six Nations, winning 11 championships. Her achievement of competing in five World Cups – unique among English players – demonstrates her remarkable consistency and durability.
Scarratt represented Lichfield and Loughborough Lightning at club level, and she’ll continue with Loughborough as an assistant coach next season. She has also accepted a specialist coaching and mentoring role with the RFU, where she’ll work with developing players and share the insights gained from her extensive international experience.
The 2014 Rugby World Cup saw Scarratt at the peak of her powers. She earned player of the final honors and led all scorers with 70 points as England won the tournament. This exceptional performance established her as one of the world’s best players, a status confirmed when she won the 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year award. Her ability to deliver in crucial moments made her one of the most clutch performers in the sport.
Scarratt’s versatility extended to sevens rugby, where she captained Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics to fourth place and won a Commonwealth Games bronze with England sevens in 2018. In her retirement statement, she spoke of the privilege of representing England and witnessing the sport’s transformation from amateur to professional. England head coach John Mitchell praised her as a once-in-a-generation player whose leadership and composure set standards for everyone around her.