The former England and Richmond scrum half is set to make her move into the English pack after being named at hooker for England’s uncapped game against France on Wednesday, kick off 6pm GMT, at the Jean Bouin Stadium in Marseille.

Switching from scrum-half to hooker in international rugby is an unusual move but for Turner the move isn’t that unique as she first started her rugby career in the Number two shirt.

Turner said: “I have always seen myself as a hooker falling into the scrum half position to be perfectly honest. I was not a scrum half who just wanted to try something new.

“Not many people will know this but I actually played all my junior rugby as a hooker. It just so happened then that our scrum half injured herself and I was the only player there who could consistently pass from the left and right so I stood in. From there I was asked to go to regional trials and it just sort of snow balled. I loved playing scrum half as I could kick the ball, pass and I could do whatever I wanted really, it was just that it was all rather accidental.

“I have always said to myself that when I achieved what I have done as a nine that I would give hooking another go. It’s comfortable and it feels right for me now. Looking ahead I have now got four years to go before the next world cup and my challenge is to be the best hooker in the world by then.”

The match will also mark a significant day for Turner who has not actually played international rugby since England’s defeat to New Zealand in the 2010 Rugby World Cup final. Since that defeat, the 27-year-old has been beset by injuries as well as having to make the transition to the front row and earn her honours in that position.

“After the world cup final I went back to premiership rugby and I expressed my intention to the England and Richmond coaches,” she added. “They were good about it but before I had a chance to make the move I injured myself playing sevens in Dubai. Initially, it was just going to be six weeks out and an operation and I knew I could deal with that. But then there were further complications as I injured myself again, and then again.  So I had to have another operation and basically I spent a year on the side-lines injured which was hugely frustrating.

“Throughout the year I was kept in the picture by the English coaches. The coaches were concerned that I might not be able to last a full 80 at hooker but I have been doing a lot of work on body positions, striking off the ball and working with Simon Hardy, the England Specialist Coach, and he has been awesome. We had a hooking camp recently with him and just being in an environment like that for two days was massively beneficial and now I am in with a shot.”

And if Turner can do enough to impress on Wednesday night, she is hoping that Head Coach Gary Street will make her dreams come true by giving her a starting cap at hooker against France on Saturday in the full international test match at the Pierre de Coubertin Stadium in Chateaurenard.

“For me, I never got a starting cap at nine. I came off the bench for my first cap but it really would mean the world to me to start my first game at hooker but that is something quite rare. I may have 50 plus caps at scrum half, but now I see myself as not having any. If I get that starting cap at hooker I will be over the moon. That is the highest privilege as far as I am concerned. I am now more excited and more motivated than ever. I have got my teeth into a new position and I have a new hunger to my game.”

England team v France

15        Kay     Wilson            (Bristol)

14        Michaela        Staniford        (Wasps)

13        Georgina       Roberts          (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

12        Kimberley      Oliver  (Bristol)

11        Lydia  Thompson     (Worcester)

10        Ceri     Large  (Worcester)

9          Natasha         Hunt   (Lichfield)

1          Rochelle        Clark   (Worcester)

2          Amy    Turner            (Richmond)

3          Rosemarie     Crowley         (Lichfield)

4          Harriet            Millar-Mills     (Lichfield)

5          Rowena         Burnfield       (Richmond)

6          Alexandra      Matthews       (Richmond)

7          Hannah         Gallagher      (Saracens)

8          Sarah Hunter            (Lichfield)

Replacements:

16        Victoria           Fleetwood     (Lichfield)

17        Laura  Keates            (Worcester)

18        Tamara           Taylor(Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)

19        Isobel Noel-Smith    (Bristol)

20        Rose   Jay      (Lichfield)

21        Sarah             McKenna       (Wasps)

22        Katherine      Merchant       (Worcester)

England Women Autumn International Series

• Nov 2nd France v England, Jean Bouin Stadium, Marseille, KO 6pm GMT
• Nov 5th France v England, Pierre de Coubertin Stadium at Chateaurenard, KO 2pm GMT
• Nov 26th England v New Zealand, Twickenham Stadium, KO 5pm
• Nov 29th England v New Zealand, Esher RFC, KO 7pm
• Dec 3rd England v New Zealand, Esher RFC, 2pm

Tickets for the game at Twickenham on November 26th are available from Ticketmaster.co.uk and group booking are available from the RFU by calling 0871 22 22 017, option 6. Prices range from £65 to £35. Junior tickets cost just £15.

Tickets for the international tests at Esher RFC on November 29th and December 3rd will be available on the gate and cost £10 for adults and £5 for juniors.

The Pirates welcome back fly-half Ceiron Thomas from injury, thus enabling Rob Cook to return to his accustomed full-back role, and James Doherty is named to skipper the side, taking over from club captain Gavin Cattle at scrum-half.

In the forwards, starting roles are handed to No. 8 Ben Maidment and lock Mike Myerscough, taking over from Blair Cowan and Laurie McGlone, whilst on the bench there’s a seat for centre Andrew Suniula, who has arrived in Cornwall this week after having experienced Rugby World Cup action playing for the USA in New Zealand.

The Cornish Pirates, who lost 13-12 away to Esher in February, will naturally respect the challenge of the ‘EEEs’, as despite them presently lying at the foot of the league table they have gifted performers and a good team spirit to as ever pose a threat.

The sides named for Sunday are as follows:-

Cornish Pirates: R. Cook, G. Pointer, D. Locke, S. Hill, D. Doherty, C. Thomas, J. Doherty (c), B. Maidment, P. Burgess, C. Morgan, I. Nimmo, M. Myerscough, R. Brits, R. Elloway, P. Andrew.

Replacements: C. Rimmer, T. Cowan-Dickie, L. McGlone, B. Cowan, T. Kessell, A. Suniula, R. McAtee.

Esher: R. Kirby, C. Walker, P. Mackenzie, A. Wright, T. Loizedes, M. Atkinson, C. Stuart-Smith, C. Goodman, S. Stitcher (c), M. Macfarlane, I. Kench, P. Parker, R. Boot, S. Mackie, O. Mines.

Replacements: J. Gethings, S. Renwick, J. Campbell, M. Symons, C. Ingall, S. Edgerley, J. Mackenzie.

Referee: Michael Tutty (RFU) Assistants: Shane Lewis & Steve Leyshon

Runciman was part of the Gloucester Rugby Academy at the outset of his rugby career before moving to Worcester Warriors and subsequently to London Welsh.

The 25 year old has represented his country at U16 and U18  level as well as being a member of an U21 Grand Slam winning squad. He has also played for the Barbarians.

He has been a regular at Old Deer Park, making 65 league appearances in total and is currently playing his part in the Exiles Championship play off campaign.

Gloucester Rugby Head Coach Bryan Redpath told the club website today that you can never have too many scrum halves!

“We know all about Nick obviously with him having started his career here as part of our Academy and then having played just up the road at Worcester.”

“He’s developed into a very capable performer in the meantime and we’re aware that Rory Lawson will probably be away for quite a bit of next season because of the Rugby World Cup and Six Nations.”

“We’ll therefore need options in the number nine shirt as it’s a specialist position and with Nick, Dave Lewis and Dan Robson to call upon, I’m very happy with where we stand.”

Runciman himself is delighted to be returning to where it all started for him:

“It’ll be great to be back at Kingsholm. I obviously still know a number of the boys there and have kept tabs on how the team have been doing.”

“I saw them win the LV= Cup on television recently so Heineken Cup is assured next season which is a huge bonus for the club and very exciting for me personally.”

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at London Welsh, they’re a great club and it goes without saying that I’ll be doing my level best for them for the remaining games of the season.”  

Researchers from the University of Chester collected 304 sets of data from 54 Aviva Premiership Rugby matches involving eight top flight clubs in the season to March 27.

Bath Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, London Wasps, Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks players have worn GPS units to provide a range of information for a PhD study entitled  ‘The Demands of Training and Playing in Elite Rugby Union’ commissioned by the Rugby Football Union on the recommendation of the Professional Game Board and part-sponsored by the English Institute of Sport.

The first results from the three-year study are highlighted by Dr Paul Worsfold, Senior Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Sciences, and PhD student Nicola Cahill at today’s Annual Professional Rugby Conference at Twickenham Stadium.

They show significant differences between six positional groups* in terms of time on pitch, total distance covered, distance covered at low speed run and high speed run, maximum speed and average speed.

• Average time on pitch ranges from 75.63mins for front row to 91.63mins for inside backs
• Average distance covered ranges from 4.45km (front row) to 6.84km (scrum half)
• Average distance at Low Speed Run1 ranges from 3.15km (front row) to 4.53km (scrum half)
• Average distance at High Speed Run2 ranges from 0.15km (front row) to 0.61km (outside backs)
• Maximum speed for the positional groups varies from an average of 23.7kmh (front row) to 30.7kmh (outside backs)

The top individual speed recorded in the 54 matches was 36.7kmh (22.8mph) and the greatest distance covered in one match was 8.2km (5 miles).

Dr Worsfold said: “In the past five years GPS technology has had a significant impact on performance analysis in elite sport. We can now accurately evaluate the training loads and activity profiles of players in competitive situations on the field.

“The aims of the study are to focus on the use of GPS in training and game performance to establish positional demands, to identify potential injury risk, and to monitor relationships between training, competition and fatigue.

“We will have collected over 450 sets of GPS match data from players by the end of the season. The results of the study will enable individual players to gain information on the physical demands of their specific positions during a match situation, and allow them to compare their own performances with the averages across Aviva Premiership Rugby.

“The findings will help coaches, sport scientists and players gain an understanding of what elite rugby union players, in different playing positions, do within a competitive season. This will enable specific training and monitoring programs to be developed for each position to optimise performance and player safety."

Accelerometers in the 5Hz GPS units produce data relating to impacts and body loads on players which will be investigated in the next stage of the study.

Roy Headey, the RFU’s Head of Sports Science, said: "Coaches, medical and conditioning staff rely on analysts and sports scientists being able to simplify and combine a variety of sources of data to inform their decision making.

“A critical piece of information relates to the external loads –  visible but virtually impossible to estimate – that players experience during games, These include distances run at various speeds, muscular effort in accelerating, decelerating, changing direction and G-forces in collisions, and GPS is currently the best available vehicle for capturing such data."

Corin Palmer, Premiership Rugby’s Head of Academies and Development, said: “This study, in conjunction with the Injury Audit, is another example of the clubs and the Union working together to create the best possible playing and training environment for elite players in England.

“It will allow coaches and medical staff to design training programmes to optimise player fitness, rehabilitation and general welfare, but it will also play an important part in the creation of individual player development plans for academy athletes as part of the clubs’ ongoing desire to nurture and invest in young English talent.”

*The six positional groups are: Front row, second row, back row, scrum half, inside backs and outside backs.

** Low Speed Run < 12kmh, 2 High Speed Run > 18kmh

Greg Laidlaw

Greig Laidlaw will captain a new-look Edinburgh side for the trip to Magners League champions Munster on Friday evening (19 February, kick off 8pm, live on Setanta Ireland) and head coach Rob Moffat believes the scrum-half has the right skill-set to lead the side to a positive result.

Laidlaw, 24, signed a new two year contract with Edinburgh on Monday and has been rewarded with the captaincy for the trip to Cork to face the tournament title holders.

Moffat says that his elevation to captain was a logical choice and will lead to a seamless transition should replacement Mike Blair be introduced into the action during the game.

Moffat said: “Greig is playing consistently well and I think he is a natural leader.

“At scrum half, he is in a good position to captain the side and, with Mike on the bench, it means if we make the change then there is a straight swap.”

Laidlaw forms a half-back combination with David Blair, who makes his first appearance for Edinburgh since damaging his ankle against Bath in December.

National Academy stand-off Rory Hutton, who made his Edinburgh debut against Cardiff last month, is named amongst the replacements and Moffat says both playmakers have overcome injury problems to be selected.

He added: “Both David and Rory haven’t had the easiest times recently. David hasn’t played for a while, but he has trained for the past couple of weeks and Rory has been recovering from a broken finger.

“So David starts for the first time since he was man-of-the-match against Scarlets with Rory on the bench and we saw what he can do against Cardiff.”

Moffat says he is pleased to be able to field lock Jim Hamilton for the match at Musgrave Park – even though the big forward featured for 70 minutes for Scotland against Wales.

He said: “I think it is right for Jim to play because he hasn’t played a lot of rugby so far this season. We are delighted he is available and I’m sure he will make an impact.

“Another game under his belt will stand Jim in good stead for Scotland when the Six Nations programme restarts.”

Edinburgh’s back three has been reshuffled with Ben Cairns required to occupy the full-back berth with both Jim Thompson (knee) and Chris Paterson (kidney) ruled out.

Moffat says he is excited about the challenge ahead and believes Edinburgh’s journey towards the Grand Final starts in Cork.

He said: “Now with just seven matches remaining before the play-offs, it is imperative that we get as much as we can from every game and we are looking forward to the challenge of facing Munster.

“We know just how strong Munster are – both home and away – so it will be a thorough test for our players and one we will be prepared for.”

Vice captain Allister Hogg is still expected to be out for a few months after undergoing surgery to repair a hip problem at Spire Murrayfield Hospital in December.

Stand off Phil Godman (head knock) and hooker Sean Crombie (ankle) are unavailable for selection.

Both versatile back Thompson and flanker Ross Rennie are recovering from minor knee injuries while Scott Newlands (eye) is also nearing a return to competitive action.

Long term casualty Simon Cross is still out with a knee injury along with Andrew Easson (knee).

Greig Laidlaw agrees new deal

Greig Laidlaw says he is looking forward to challenging Mike Blair for Edinburgh’s number nine jersey after agreeing a new two year contract with the club.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a productive season so far and has recorded 11 starts including a man-of-the-match display against Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup.

Now Laidlaw says he is aiming to help Edinburgh reach the Magners League Grand Final in May and competing with captain Blair to be the team’s first choice scrum half.

Laidlaw said: “I’m very happy to be signing for another two years. First and foremost, I want to help the team reach the play-offs and challenge for the title.

“Another target is that I want to keep my place in the Edinburgh side. Mike has just signed a new contract as well, so I’m looking forward to the battle.

“I’ve been delighted with how this season has gone so far. I think I’ve developed massively as a player this year.

“I’ve really enjoyed my rugby and I think that has shown on the pitch. I’ve been pleased with some of the performances I’ve put in and long may that continue.”

Laidlaw, formerly with Jed-Forest, made his debut for Edinburgh against Leinster in September 2006 and has since recorded 53 appearances for the team.

Head coach Rob Moffat welcomed the news and believes Laidlaw will provide him with a recurring selection dilemma regarding who he should select at scrum half.

Moffat said: “I think Greig has really stepped up. He has played a lot more rugby for us this season and he deserves everything he has received.

“I thought Greig was outstanding against Stade Francais in our last game and we are delighted with the way he has progressed and that is largely down to the way he applies himself; hopefully that improvement will continue.

“The fact that we have players of the quality of both Greig and Mike (Blair) competing for one spot shows our squad has some depth.

“Ideally we are looking for that that level of competition for one position throughout the squad – that helps everybody’s game.

“Mike is captain and he has been very respectful towards how well Greig has been playing this season; it is a good selection problem to have.”

Left wing Uche Oduoza makes his Newcastle debut against his former club, with the England Sevens international having racked up the tries for the Falcons Development Team following his summer move from Japan.

Cumbrian Mark Wilson makes his debut on the openside flank, with the 20-year-old’s form for Blaydon and the Newcastle second-string earning him a call-up to the senior side.

England Under-20s fullback Tom Catterick is another drafted in for his maiden start after impressing from the bench in the recent win over Albi, with scrum half Hall Charlton captaining the Falcons for the Sixways clash (kick-off 12.30pm).

Director of rugby, Steve Bates, said: “Despite the number of changes, if you look at the side we have selected for this game there are actually still a lot of experienced players in it.

“The likes of Mark Sorenson, Filipo Levi, Adam Balding, Micky Ward, Gcobani Bobo and Hall Charlton to name just a few are all senior players, and for me this team is an exciting mix of those guys alongside some of our best young talent.

“Some of these players haven’t had as many starting opportunities as they would have liked this season, they are keen to state their case and I’m looking forward to seeing how they go.

“We have rested one or two key players, but there is still a lot of talent within this group and a number of guys really looking to put down a marker in terms of selection on a regular basis. They wouldn’t be in the team if we didn’t feel they were good enough, and this is an opportunity for us to see them in that first team environment.”

Highlighting one of his younger selections, Bates added: “Tom Catterick is someone I am especially excited about, because he has really shown up well in our Development Games and when he was given a chance from the bench against Albi three weeks ago.

“He has been selected at fullback for the England Under-20s, and it is only fair to Tom that we really give him a crack in his preferred position. That does mean Alex Tait shifting to the centres, but we know he can do a job there and that will also be good for Alex as he makes his comeback after a few weeks out with injury.”

Dismissing suggestions that the Falcons were taking the LV= Cup lightly, Bates said: “If we had to prioritise one competition as a club, like many others our main focus would be on performing week in, week out in the Guinness Premiership.

“Having said that, we want to win every competition we enter, and when we take the field in the LV= Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup we are going all out to win.

“The reality is that your regular players simply can’t play every single week with the physicality and brutality of the game these days, so we have to be fair to those boys and manage their workload appropriately. That means there will be occasions where guys need to be rested, and this week we have taken the opportunity to give chances to a number of players within the squad.

“I’m expecting this group to do very well down at Worcester, and then we have a big game at home to Harlequins the weekend after to really put us into a good position in this tournament.”

With speculation on both sides of the equator linking Falcons skipper Carl Hayman with a return home to New Zealand after this season, the story was again back on the agenda this week with comments from All Black coach Wayne Smith suggesting the iconic tight head may well be in town to ‘say gidday’ to his former team mates.

Asked about the reports, and what they may mean in terms of the future, a pragmatic Bates said: “Presumably Carl will go and see the All Blacks while they are over here, they’re good pals of his and it would be only natural for him to pop over and catch up with them.

“I would expect him to go and see some of their games, but in terms of what happens after this season we’ll just have to wait and see.

“The All Blacks are in a position now where their front row isn’t perhaps as strong as it has been in the past, he is an outstanding player in that area and it’s just common sense that he will be someone they are targeting.

“In terms of whether or not Carl wants to play in the next World Cup for them, that’s one of those things that nobody can just assume. On the one hand as a player you can understand why he might want to go for it, but looking at it another way perhaps he has put that chapter of his career behind him.

“Nobody but Carl can answer that question, and I’m certainly not going to start putting words into his mouth.”

Newcastle Falcons team to face Worcester Warriors:

• 15 Tom Catterick
• 14 Danny Williams
• 13 Alex Tait
• 12 Gcobani Bobo
• 11 Uche Oduoza
• 10 Rob Miller
• 9 Hall Charlton (captain)
• 1 Laurence Ovens
• 2 Alex Walker
• 3 Micky Ward
• 4 Filipo Levi
• 5 Mark Sorenson
• 6 Peter Browne
• 7 Mark Wilson
• 8 Adam Balding

Replacements:

• Rob Vickers
• Grant Shiells
• Kieran Brookes
• Tim Swinson
• Josh Afu
• Chris Pilgrim
• Tom Biggs
• Charlie Amesbury