Flanker Morwenna Talling has no doubt who would win a match between the north and south in England camp.
A quiet voice around the squad, and a nature lover in her free time, the Sale Shark is usually happy for others to do the talking, unless it is about the north against the south.
In the north corner joining Talling, there is Tatyana Heard, Maddie Feaunati and Zoe Aldcroft.
The south may contain a higher population, but the 22-year-old is convinced that does not matter.
“There are quite a few of us and we always joke around the camp that we should do a north against south,” Talling told BBC Sport.
“I think the north would probably win every time.”
York-born Talling, who starts on Sunday against New Zealand in WXV1, may have fellow northerners in camp, but she is the lone wolf when it comes to northern club representation.
The rest of the squad are based out of Loughborough Lightning, Bristol Bears, Gloucester-Hartpury, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins and Saracens, with Talling opting to move from Loughborough to Manchester last season to help grow women’s rugby in the north.
Despite Sale finishing last season bottom of the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) after a points deduction for a lack of England-qualified players, Talling signed on until 2025.
“Sale were struggling and I thought it was important that we show rugby from all round the country,” Talling, who also studies Geography at Manchester Metropolitan University, added.
“It was to show rugby was still there and we had a few successes last season so it was about showing people we can still compete.
“Women’s rugby clubs in the north have grown in the past number of years, but it is frustrating the lack of them.
“It is all the more reason to keep pushing to make it better.”
