Red Roses World Cup build-up starts now as John Mitchell springs selection surprises
John Mitchell has sprung a number of selection surprises for England’s Women’s Six Nations opener against Italy on Sunday as he ramps up preparations for this year’s Rugby World Cup.
In a sign that rotation could be a feature of this year’s championship, which will act as a dress rehearsal for women’s rugby’s showpiece on home soil, the Red Roses head coach has ripped up the rulebook with a new back three, half-back combination and back-row trio.
Emma Sing, the rangy full-back who was part of Gloucester-Hartpury’s “three-peat” Premiership Women’s Rugby-winning team, has been given the nod ahead of World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, who finished as the championship’s top try-scorer last year.
Sing makes up a back three that also comprises her clubmate Mia Venner, who will add to the solitary England cap she earned as a 17-year-old in the 2020 Six Nations, and Claudia MacDonald, the Exeter Chiefs flyer who missed last year’s competition with a serious neck injury.
How the Circus needed that! 🔥
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 16, 2025
Emma Sing touches down!#PWRFinal | #GLOvSARpic.twitter.com/wdgCWUg8eJ
In a move that throws England’s fly-half debate wide open, Helena Rowland has been shifted to 10, a position where she has excelled for Loughborough Lightning this season, with Holly Aitchison shifting to inside centre. Rowland will form a fresh half-back combination with No 9 Lucy Packer. Intriguingly, there is no place for Zoe Harrison in the match-day squad.
Mitchell has also made wholesale changes among the forwards, including in the back row, which is where he has a plethora of options at his disposal.
Zoe Aldcroft, who he made his new captain at the start of the year, will start at blindside flanker alongside Marlie Packer, while Maddie Feaunati has been given license to express her ball-wrecking potential at No 8. Elsewhere in the pack, Lilli Ives Campion, an exciting young prospect from England’s age-grade pathway, forms a lock partnership alongside Rosie Galligan.
Analysis: Mitchell detonates selection bombs
It was a matter of when – not if – John Mitchell would throw a few curveballs and he has wasted no time getting started in a massive year for his side. No Alex Matthews. No Tatyana Heard. No Meg Jones. No Morwenna Talling. There will be a lot of big guns watching from the sidelines.
Of all the bold selection calls the New Zealander has made, the inclusion of Rowland at fly-half is fascinating. Rowland is a glowing definition of a utility back, having operated at full-back and in the centres in her international career.
But Mitchell has given her the keys at 10 for the first time in almost three years – the Loughborough playmaker last featured in the position against Scotland in the 2022 Six Nations. Incidentally, that was the same day that Emma Sing made her Red Roses debut.
Sing deserves her chance. We became so used to seeing England’s all-conquering back three of Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow and Jess Breach last year – the trio were responsible for 32 of England’s 75 tries in 2024 – that this feels very fresh.
Will Sing be entrusted with the goalkicking in York? She had an off day in last week’s PWR final but has more than underlined her credentials as a competent place kicker this season.
England team: Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury); Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Lucy Packer (Harlequins); Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, captain), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: May Campbell (Saracens), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs), Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins).
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