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Jess Breach has said that England are intent on showing they are “predator” rather than “prey” as she wins her 50th cap against Australia rugby in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
England have the chance to match their record unbeaten run with a 30th consecutive victory in Brighton on Saturday, and will top Pool A provided they avoid defeat against the Wallaroos.
Breach boasts a remarkable record of never having lost in a Red Roses shirt, winning on all 49 of her appearances since scoring six tries on debut against Canada in 2017.
The wing is closing in on Sue Day’s record of 62 tries for England, with Breach going past 50 with a hat-trick in last week’s 92-3 win over Samoa.
And the 27-year-old wing has warned Australia that the World Cup favourites intend to again show their ruthless edge in Brighton on Saturday.
“I think we want to reverse it,” Breach explained. “We know we get hunted by every team – every team wants to beat us, so we want to turn it around and say we’re hunting them.
“We don’t want to be people’s prey, we want to be the predator, and go at them and show them what we can do.
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Jess Breach (left) made her debut in the same game as teammate Ellie Kildunne (centre) (Getty Images)
“Obviously every time you put on an England shirt or even a playing shirt you want to win a game, so I’ve been fortunate enough to have 50 caps that are winning. I think it’s an incredible achievement to go, hopefully, 50 caps. It’s definitely something I don’t think about, just like the tries.”
For Breach, there are few better places to bring up her unbeaten half-century, with a product of Sussex spending several years at Brighton RFC during her formative rugby days.
The wing made her international debut in the same game as back-three colleagues Abby Dow and Ellie Kildunne, and says that she has had to improve significantly to retain her place in a competitive fight for backline places.
“I think I’ve really had to work on my game,” she admitted. “When I first came in, I think I was seen as that fast player, I just had raw speed. Obviously I’d played rugby since I was six so I knew the game, but I’ve had to develop passing, kicking.
“I’d say I’m an all round player 1756999939. I think maybe that’s where the strike rate has come from, that potentially defences don’t know what I’m going to do, and I think the team that I play in facilitate us backs to give us those one-on-one opportunities.”