Jess Breach relishing competition as England try record comes into view

Jess Breach insists the race to become top try scorer is generating healthy competition amongst England’s prolific finishers as she stands on the brink of another landmark achievement.

Breach ran in a dynamic hat-trick as the Red Roses confirmed their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a Pool A game to spare by overwhelming Samoa 92-3 in Northampton.

It propelled the 27-year-old Saracens wing past the half-century mark as she lifted her try tally to 52, nine short of the record held by Sue Day.

But in hot pursuit are England team-mates Abby Dow and Ellie Kildunne, who have 49 and 42 respectively and are also operating at the peak of their powers.

“There is so much history within the Red Roses so to get 50 tries is incredible, it means everything,” Breach said.

“I’m sure Ellie and Abby are coming up in my rear. It’s really nice that we are all still playing in our prime and our future is about how many tries we can score.

“There was a post on the Red Roses Instagram about how many we had scored or we wouldn’t have known.

“Ellie did say to me ‘you were lucky I didn’t get on the pitch because you wouldn’t have reached that!’.

“It’s banter because she doesn’t really mean it and it will be a great achievement when Abby and Ellie get to that milestone.

“We just play for the love of the game and if we are able to get over the white line for our team, then that’s everything.

“Individual achievements come with it, but it’s the team performance we’re looking for.”

Now Breach has another target in her sights knowing selection for the final group game against Australia in Brighton on Saturday will register 50 caps.

“It was really special to score 50 tries but to have 50 caps for England is amazing and for it to be in my home county would be phenomenal,” she said.

“I grew up in Sussex and played in Brighton for three years, so it will be nice to do down there.

“The game has never gone down to Sussex before so to be able to get my 50th would be amazing, but we have just got to see what (head coach) John Mitchell has got up his sleeve.”

Mitchell will be selecting from a position of strength when he names his team on Thursday, with Holly Aitchison the only member of England’s 32-strong squad who has yet to appear in the tournament due to an ankle injury.

However, the playmaker who covers fly-half and inside centre has resumed full training and is expected to be available to take on Australia.

Combined with Helena Rowland’s successful return from her own ankle problem against Samoa, England’s options in the number 10 jersey are now looking far healthier.

Captain Zoe Aldcroft has been ruled out against Australia by a bruised knee and veteran centre Emily Scarratt is a doubt due to nerve damage in her shoulder.