ENGLAND Women’s elite players, including Worcester’s Samantha Dale, Gemma Sharples and Katherine Merchant, got some expert tutoring from the Rugby Football Union’s top refereeing brass ahead of this month’s Nations Cup.

As the reigning RBS Six Nations and European Cham-pions prepare for the challenge of the USA and Canada in the Nations, the players got to grips with the new ELV Laws and also received invaluable feedback from the likes of Elite Referee Development Officer Tony Spreadbury and RFU referee Chris White at their Heythrop Park camp.

White delivered a session on the new ELV Laws, which is of paramount importance to the England team as they will become the first northern hemisphere team to play an international rugby match under these rules.

Spreadbury was then joined by six female referees, some of whom will officiate in the Nations Cup, for interactive sessions between the players and the referees.

Areas covered included playing on the right side of the law, video analysis and interpretations of the laws.

England Women assistant coach Graham Smith said: “This was a really important and useful session for the players and the coaches.”