Emily Scarratt: England’s Record Points-Scorer Retires at 35

After 17 years of excellence at international level, Emily Scarratt has announced her retirement from playing rugby. The England centre finishes her career with 119 caps, two World Cup titles, and 754 points – more than any other player in Red Roses history. She will now focus on coaching roles at Loughborough Lightning and with the Rugby Football Union.
Scarratt’s journey began in 2008 when she made her England debut, and she quickly became a fixture in the team. Her career encompassed 11 Six Nations championship victories and five World Cup campaigns – a feat no other English player has achieved. This remarkable consistency across nearly two decades speaks to her fitness, skill, and mental resilience.
The centre’s ability to score points in multiple ways made her invaluable to England. Whether kicking conversions and penalties, creating opportunities for teammates, or scoring tries herself, Scarratt consistently delivered. Her third-place rankings in both caps and tries further demonstrate her well-rounded contributions. In 2019, these performances earned her recognition as World Rugby Player of the Year.
Scarratt’s finest hour came at the 2014 Rugby World Cup, where she earned player of the final honors and led all scorers with 70 points. Her dominance throughout the tournament helped England win the championship and announced her as one of the premier players in world rugby. At the recent 2025 World Cup, she made one substitute appearance against the USA in the tournament opener.
Her talents extended beyond the 15-player format. Scarratt captained Great Britain’s sevens team at the 2016 Rio Olympics to fourth place and won a Commonwealth Games bronze with England sevens in 2018. In her retirement announcement, she expressed pride in being part of women’s rugby’s transformation from amateur to professional and gratitude for stepping away on her own terms. England head coach John Mitchell praised her as a special person whose impact extended far beyond the field.