Natasha 'Mo' Hunt is taking inspiration from Danny Care and is showing the form of her career aged 35... now the England scrum-half is plotting Six Nations and World Cup glory

Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt is adamant age is just a number and is taking inspiration from fellow scrum-half Danny Care as she plots Six Nations and World Cup glory with the Red Roses.

Hunt, 35, was a shock omission from England Women’s squad for the 2022 global showpiece in New Zealand – a tournament where her team-mates were beaten in the final by the hosts.

Now back involved as a key figure for her country, Hunt is in the form of her career both with Gloucester-Hartpury and at international level.

‘I know I’m kicking on now with my age but I still feel I’m playing great rugby,’ Hunt, who starts at No 9 against Wales at Ashton Gate on Saturday, told MailSport.

‘In this sport everyone tries to retire you when you hit a certain age which to me is madness. There are definitely similarities with how mine and Danny’s international careers have gone.

‘Even though he’s just retired from Test rugby, to see Danny still playing at 37 is a huge inspiration to me. Mike Brown is still playing really well at Leicester at 38. There are so many recovery resources available to players now. If you look after your body and you’re still performing, I don’t believe age should come into the equation.

‘Sarah Hunter played until she was 37. So did Alun Wyn Jones. Gone are the days when you hit your 30’s and you’re done.’

Hunt has responded impressively to missing out on the last World Cup. Now she wants to be part of the England side which will host the next women’s tournament in 2025.

‘I love playing for England. I adore it and relish every minute,’ Hunt said.

‘I was heartbroken missing out on the World Cup. It’s well documented how much I struggled with that. I didn’t want anything to do with it. I couldn’t watch the games.

‘I knew how much I missed it and how much I wanted to come back into the fold. It was whether I had the resilience to put myself back in a position where I could be hurt like that again.

‘I was in a bit of the pits. But I went back to club rugby and realised how much I do enjoy the sport and the England girls rallied around me. I’m enjoying my rugby again now and that’s the most thing. It’s taken me a long time to get out of my own head and relax. I think that big blow has actually made me even better. Out of a huge negative has come a big positive.

‘I feel I’m doing the best I’ve ever done. I’m a lot freer when I play now. I still feel I’ve got loads left in me. I feel fit and like I can keep taking on the youngsters.’

England should have too much for Wales as they look to build on their Six Nations-opening win over Italy. Hunt is one of seven changes made from the 48-0 victory in Parma.

A crowd of close to 20,000 is expected at Ashton Gate for England’s meeting with Wales. It will be the biggest attendance for a Red Roses game on English soil away from Twickenham.

After missing the last World Cup, Hunt featured in England’s 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam under previous coach Simon Middleton and is highly rated by new boss John Mitchell.

The RFU hopes to sell out Twickenham for the 2025 World Cup final with England in it.

Hunt plans on still being involved on the field then. She currently balances her playing career with England and Gloucester-Hartpury with media and coaching work.

An engaging interviewee, Hunt is also an ambassador for Age UK and a big advocate for supporting the elderly after a chance encounter at a Gloucester doctor’s surgery during lockdown.

‘I was sat waiting for a check-up and saw this old lady walk in,’ Hunt said, taking up the story.

‘Her heart was obviously breaking and she was very upset. It just came over me I had to help her. It sounded like she was really lonely. I went up to the receptionist to check if she was OK and she told me the lady had just lost her husband. I lived around the corner so I passed on my number and said if she wanted to, she could get in touch when she needed anything.

‘It transpired the lady didn’t have much family because she didn’t have children and her husband passed away in the pandemic because he couldn’t get the cancer treatment he required. It was a terrible story. Out of it we became pen pals. I tried to help her as much as I could through lockdown. ‘Then we started going for coffees. We try and meet once a month.

‘It’s been more difficult recently because of the Six Nations but I’m a contact for her now and if she needs anything, she can call me.’

It soon transpired that Hunt’s new friend was named Maureen Hodges. The two ‘Mo’s’ are now good friends and Maureen will be watching Hunt in action against Wales on television.

‘It makes me feel good to give something back, to help others, and sit and listen,’ said Hunt.

‘One time after Covid, Maureen thought she had laryngitis but her voice was only off because she hadn’t spoken to anyone in a week. Stories like that are brutal. I love meeting her.

‘The fact she is a ‘Mo’ as well is really weird! She’s now friends with my grandma. They speak occasionally after I introduced them. I wanted to shine a light on this issue.

‘Maureen’s husband liked rugby and used to go to Gloucester. She always says he’d have loved to have met me. That would have been awesome.

‘But now she follows rugby so with the Six Nations she can see me on the TV!’