When it comes to Emily Scarratt, superlatives and hyperbole simply don’t do her justice.
The England star, who can play at centre and full-back, has won virtually everything there is to win in the women’s game since making her international debut for the Red Roses in 2008.
From lifting the 2014 Rugby World Cup to winning back-to-back Grand Slams in the 2019 and 2020 Women’s Six Nations, Scarratt has set the benchmark time and time again.
Her influence has also seen her rewarded with numerous individual honours, including the 2019 World Player of the Year and the 2020 Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship.
Nobody has ever scored more points in an England shirt and the 31-year-old will be looking to guide her country to a hat-trick of Women’s Six Nations titles in 2021.
MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF
Born in Leicester, Scarratt was a talented all-rounder from an early age and played hockey, rounders and basketball growing up before pursuing a career in rugby.
Having turned down a US Basketball Scholarship at 16, she burst onto the international rugby scene in 2008 with a remarkable 12 tries in 12 games for the Red Roses.
She went on to help England retain the Women’s Six Nations title in 2009, finishing the Championship as the joint top try scorer alongside teammate Fiona Pocock.
Her influence was just as strong in the 2010 Women’s Six Nations, once again finish the top try scorer as England clinched the title for the 11th time and achieved the Grand Slam.
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A sixth consecutive Women’s Six Nations title followed in 2011 while Scarratt finished as the top points scorer as the Red Roses repeated the Grand Slam feat again in 2012.
Ireland ended England’s run of Championship titles in 2013 but the Red Roses and Scarratt responded in style in 2014 as they enjoyed a year to remember on the field.
RUGBY WORLD CUP GLORY
While France secured the Women’s Six Nations in 2014, Scarratt finished top points scorer again and joint top try scorer before turning her attention to England’s World Cup bid.
Scarratt proved to be an invaluable player for the Red Roses in France, scoring a mightily impressive 70 points throughout the tournament to finish as the top points scorer.
16 of those points came in the final against Canada as Scarratt crossed the whitewash to make sure of victory in the closing minutes and seal a first world title for England since 1994.
And five years after last winning the Women’s Six Nations, it was again Scarratt who played an influential role in helping England regain the title with a Grand Slam in 2017.
Scarratt finished the Championship with 49 points to top the scorers list as England achieved the clean sweep ahead of the defence of their Rugby World Cup crown later that year.
The Red Roses made it to the final in Ireland but despite Scarratt’s best efforts – she bagged another 56 points overall – the defending champions ultimately fell to New Zealand.
A new chapter in sevens rugby followed for Scarratt off the back of the 2017 Rugby World Cup final defeat, having captained Team GB at the Rio Olympic Games a year earlier.
PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Scarratt went on to win a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games before representing England at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, returning to 15s rugby in 2019.
The impact of the Loughborough Lightning sensation was instant after being awarded a full-time England contract, helping her country to yet another Women’s Six Nations title.
Scarratt scored twice in the final round, 80-0 victory over Scotland to secure the Grand Slam, while she was a standout performer at the 2019 Super Series as she finished top points scorer.
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Her brilliant 2019 saw her named World Rugby’s Women’s Player of the Year and she followed that up by winning the first Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship in 2020.
Scarratt also became England’s highest ever points scorer during last year’s Championship as the Red Roses completed another Grand Slam, sealing her place in Women’s Six Nations history.
