At 35, Emily Scarratt has announced her retirement from playing rugby, concluding a 17-year international career filled with unforgettable milestones and memories. The centre’s journey includes 119 England caps, 754 points as the nation’s all-time leading scorer, and two World Cup victories. From her debut to her final appearance, Scarratt created moments that will be remembered and celebrated for generations.
Scarratt’s career milestones began with her 2008 debut—the first of many memorable moments. Her contribution to 11 Six Nations championships provided numerous individual milestones and team celebrations. Her achievement of competing in five World Cups created milestone appearances in 2010, 2014, 2017, 2021, and 2022. Each tournament provided new memories—dramatic victories, personal achievements, and shared celebrations with teammates.
The 2014 Rugby World Cup created Scarratt’s most cherished memories and milestones. Finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 70 points provided a personal milestone. Earning player of the final honors created an unforgettable individual moment. England winning the championship provided the ultimate team memory. These milestones from 2014 remain among women’s rugby’s most celebrated moments.
Additional milestones included captaining Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics—the milestone of Olympic participation. Winning Commonwealth Games bronze with England sevens in 2018 added another medal milestone. At club level with Lichfield and Loughborough Lightning, she created countless memories with teammates and fans.
As she creates her final playing memories, Scarratt will help future players create their own milestones. She has accepted an assistant coaching position with Loughborough Lightning for the upcoming season and will also work with the RFU in a specialist coaching and mentoring role. In her retirement statement, Scarratt expressed pride in the milestones achieved during women’s rugby’s transformation into a professional sport and gratitude for the privilege of retiring with so many special memories. England head coach John Mitchell paid tribute to her as a once-in-a-generation player whose career milestones and the memories she created will be celebrated throughout rugby history.