A lot has changed in the five years since Mia Venner won her one and so far, only England cap.
Venner was just 17 when she replaced Emily Scott early in the second half of a 66-7 Women’s Six Nations victory against Wales at Twickenham Stoop on March 7, 2020.
Within weeks of that debut, the UK had locked down as the pandemic swept the globe and it would be another four years before she received her next Red Roses call-up.
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A serious ACL injury did not help her claims for international recognition but having recovered from that setback, Venner became an integral cog in the Gloucester-Hartpury machine that swept to three successive Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) titles.
Venner started all three finals – scoring crucial tries in the victories against Bristol in 2024 and Saracens last Sunday – and at 22, could still have a long international career ahead of her.
“I think it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for me over the four or five years,” Venner said. “Looking back now, I was a child.
“My game was completely different and the women’s game in general was just completely different to what it is now. I think the journey to get from where I was there to where I am now has been massive.”
On her memories of her debut against Wales, she added: “It’s crazy to look back at it now.
“I was in a completely different place in terms of my rugby, and like I said, women’s rugby was in a completely different place as well.
“Being around for a while now and watching [the PWR] grow, it’s just amazing to look back to where we were, to where we are now, and in some way being part of that makes it even better.”
Venner was recalled to the Red Roses squad during last year’s Six Nations, the first under current coach John Mitchell and she was subsequently awarded a transition contract in June.
The Gloucester-Hartpury winger has had to continue to be patient as she waits for that elusive second cap and missed out on a place in the England squad for WXV 1 in Canada.
But she says her interactions with Mitchell have been “really, really positive” and acknowledges the England boss is “spoilt for choice” when it comes to the back three.
Venner’s competition for a place in the Red Roses starting line-up against Italy on Sunday consists of current World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Jess Breach, club colleague Emma Sing – the PWR’s regular season top points scorer – and Exeter’s Claudia MacDonald, who played in the last World Cup final.
England are so stacked in that area of the pitch that young Bristol Bears flyer Millie David, who scored 17 PWR tries this season, could not get in the Six Nations squad.
“The back-three here are world class,” Venner said. “Jess and Abby, the amount of work they do off the pitch and then on the pitch is just something that you wouldn’t see on a game day and coming in and seeing that first-hand is amazing.
“Then you’ve obviously got Ellie and her skill set is amazing and it’s just a real privilege to be learning off these people and [I’m] just very thankful.”
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Venner’s reintroduction into the England squad has been made more seamless by the presence of so many familiar faces from Gloucester-Hartpury.
The winger namechecks the likes of Georgia Brock, Natasha Hunt, Maud Muir and captain Zoe Aldcroft when highlighting those who helped her through both her recovery from her ACL injury and becoming a Red Rose again.
And she is confident she can make an impact if and when she gets to run out in the white jersey again.
“In my game personally, obviously speed is going to be a big one,” Venner replied when asked what she could bring to this England team.
“I think my defence is really growing as I grow into the game as well. Obviously, I’ve got a lot to learn. We’re always trying to evolve here and we’re always trying to get better individually and as a team.
“So yeah, I think I can bring in that energy but also learn off of everyone else as well.”
Should things go according to plan for Venner over the next few weeks and months then she may well find herself part of the England squad pushing for World Cup glory on home soil.
“It’s crazy because when I was growing up, the big World Cups, we’d be watching the men,” she said.
“We know how big this World Cup is going to be this year. It’s going to be the biggest event that we’ve probably ever had in women’s rugby.
“And for that to be able to grow even more for the years to come is going to be amazing.”
Venner watched England’s final defeat to New Zealand at home three years ago but knows exactly how heartbreaking that loss was and how much motivation it can provide on the road to Twickenham in September.
“I had some friends playing and obviously it’s devastating to see that for the girls, seeing how much work they put in to get there,” she added.
“I think there’s a few people who feel like the team should have got it then, so there’s going to be even more emotion going into the World Cup coming up.”
