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Helena Rowland will make her first international departure to half of Fly for three years with John Mitchell by appointing an intriguing team for the opening of the six women’s nations of England against Italy.
The red roses again launch out as powerful favorites for a seventh consecutive title in a competition which they came to dominate, and begin their campaign in York on Sunday as they are preparing for a World Cup at home later this year.
Zoe Aldcroft, named Skipper before this championship, the captains of the Blindside Flanker team, with Lilli Ives Campion presented a first start of the test in his place.
Rowland, largely considered as a central head coach by Mitchell, moves inward to assume the main game tasks, the role she regularly plays for lunghborough lightning. Holly Aitchison, who started both games in two games half of Fly for England last year, is parked at Inside Center.
Emma Sing and Mia Venner are rewarded for their out-of-competition form Gloucester-Hartpury with Start having helped their club to finish a premiere female rugby (PWR) on Sunday.
Claudia Macdonald, who gathered in the back three, who fought a second serious neck injury to bring back her international return.
Two beginners await the bench, with Exeter Scrum Half Flo Robinson for a first ceiling after being refused by a projection failure in Lille in 2021, and Great Britain Sevens Jade Shekells ordinary offering central coverage.
Senior players, including Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Alex Matthews and Abby Dow are absent from the opening side, Mitchell intended to look at a variety of combinations and options during the first weeks of the tournament. There is, however, a start for OpenSide Marlie Packer, who lost the post of captain against Aldcroft in January.
England has not lost for the floor at home in this competition for a decade and should beat Italy heavily.
Their upheaval in the midfield is however interesting, a year of the World Cup more emphasizing the versatility of position. Aitchison has established itself as the first choice of England half of the half since the arrival of Mitchell with its excellent distribution opening their attacker expansion, but the Dynamics Rowland offers a threat of supreme race.
The last departure of the 25 -year -old for England in this position came against Scotland in 2022 in the same combination with Aitchison and his compatriot Emily Scarratt.
Intrigue elsewhere is a start for Kelsey Clifford, who can play on each side of the first row, in Loosehead, and additional evidence of the height of Loughborough Lock Ives Campion after the youngster made his debut in the fall.
The denomination of the England team took place at the popular Pubage Patch Patch in Twickenham, which was renamed “The Red Roses Patch” during the duration of the tournament. The Mitchell team concludes their campaign against France, their closest rivals, at the Allianz stadium on Saturday March 26.
Red Roses XV to face Italy in York (Sunday March 23, 3 p.m. GMT): 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir; 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Rosie Galligan; 6 Zoe Aldcroft (Capt.), 7 Marlie Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati; 9 Lucy Packer, 10 Helena Rowland; 11 Claudia Macdonald, 12 Holly Aitchison, 13 Emily Scarratt, 14 Mia Venner; 15 Emma Sing.
Substitutes: May 16 Campbell, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Sadia Kabeya; 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Jade Shekells, 23 Ellie Kildunne.
