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Marlie Packer says it is a “massive honour” to captain England for the first time – but she initially thought she was getting dropped when head coach Simon Middleton told her.
Packer leads a much-changed side in England’s final Rugby World Cup pool game against South Africa on Sunday.
“I thought he was going to come over and say, ‘We’re not going to play you this weekend’,” Packer said.
“It was a completely different conversation.”
The 33-year-old added: “He said, ‘We’re going to make you captain, is that ok with you?’ Of course, it’s a massive honour.”
Favourites for the title England face South Africa having already secured a place in the quarter-finals after victory against France.
A win would improve the Red Roses’ seeding in the last eight and, given the disparity between the two sides, Middleton has used it as a chance to rotate his squad.
Along with fly-half Zoe Harrison, Packer is one of just two players from the starting XV that beat France to keep her place.
She was excited by the captaincy news, but reaction from her two-year-old son Oliver was less enthusiastic.
“Obviously he was super chuffed but you don’t really get too much reaction out of him at the moment – he’s only two,” Packer said.
Packer told BBC Radio 5 Live that being away from Oliver for almost eight weeks while she is at the tournament in New Zealand is “super tough at times”.
“It’s a sacrifice I knew I was going to have to make,” she said.
“Some days are harder than others, I had a bit of a tear about it yesterday. I’m here to do a job and as much as I’m missing him, I want to do my job here and I can look back and tell him about it.
“I email him every day what I’m up to and send him some photos. He’s always in my thoughts. I’ve got a pillowcase that [England team-mate] Poppy Cleall got me of me and him. That’s nice to cuddle.”
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