By Martin Morgan

Last updated 11:42, Wednesday, 25 June 2008

THREE Copeland Wildcats have been named in the 18-strong squad for the first England women’s RL international on home soil in eight years.

Top Cats Claire Hall, Amanda Donaldson, Holly Freestone and Laura Rowell

Prop Amanda Donaldson, hooker Claire Hall and debutant Laura Rowell, a scrum-half, will feature against France at Widnes on July 13. And they will use the call-up to stake strong claims for the World Cup in Australia in November.

“They all have a chance of going to Australia but need to perform against France,” said Wildcats coach Neil Gregg, who is also the England No 2.

The England squad was chosen following a hard-fought regional championship over recent weeks.

The Cumbrian trio played for a North West side in a 50-0 win over the Combined Services, in which all three were on the score sheet, as was fellow Wildcat Holly Freestone. The NW outfit later went down to a bruising 24-6 defeat against Yorkshire.

The Widnes international is a return fixture following England’s 16-2 win in France in June last year. Hall and Donaldson both featured in the success with Hall scoring the game’s first try.

“We were surprised how good France were last year, and we hope to build on it this year,” Gregg added. “But we’ve picked a strong squad and are quite confident we can turn them over.”

England will take a 22-strong squad Down Under for the World Cup.