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England Women's

One change for six-in-a-row title-chasing England heading to France

England's Ellie Kildunne, Megan Jones and skipper Marlie Packer last weekend versus Ireland (Photo by Alex Davidson/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

John Mitchell has made one change to his starting line-up for this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam decider away to France in Bordeaux.

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The English, who are chasing a sixth successive championship title but a first with their Kiwi coach in charge, turned on the style last Saturday to blitz Ireland 88-10 in front of a near-50,000 attendance at Twickenham.

That runaway success came at an injury cost, however. Hooker Lark Atkin-Davies limped off before the interval with an ankle problem and her place in the front row will be taken in France by Amy Cokayne, who is available again following the one-match ban picked for her April 13 red card in Scotland.

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    Morwenna Talling, who wore the No19 jersey as a starter versus the Irish, will run out in Bordeaux with the No5 on her back. The second row was a last-gasp call-up to start in round four when Rosie Galligan broke her thumb in the warm-up just minutes before the 2:15pm kick-off.

    Lizzie Hanlon was the player called onto the bench in the emergency to take the spot vacated by the suddenly promoted Talling. However, that back-up role against the French has now gone to Abbie Ward, a third-round starter in Edinburgh against the Scots.

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    Head coach Mitchell said in an RFU team media release: “Our focus has remained on our process and how we best prepare for the next opposition. We now have an exciting challenge against France in France which we’re all looking forward to.”

    France, meanwhile, have made four changes to their starting XV following their 40-0 dismissal of Wales in Cardiff last Sunday.

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    England (vs France Saturday)
    15. Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 42 caps)
    14. Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 44 caps)
    13. Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 20 caps)
    12. Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 21 caps)
    11. Jess Breach (Saracens, 37 caps)
    10. Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 29 caps)
    9. Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 71 caps)
    1. Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 46 caps)
    2. Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 73 caps)
    3. Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 29 caps)
    4. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 52 caps)
    5. Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 12 caps)
    6. Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 17 caps)
    7. Marlie Packer (Saracens, 103 caps) – captain
    8. Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 66 caps)

    Replacements
    16. Connie Powell (Harlequins, 18 caps)
    17. Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 14 caps)
    18. Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 7 caps)
    19. Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 64 caps)
    20. Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
    21. Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 20 caps)
    22. Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 110 caps)
    23. Sydney Gregson (Saracens, 6 caps)

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    O
    Otagoman II 5 minutes ago
    Harness Skelton's might and move Sua'ali'i: How the Wallabies can fix things for Test two

    Cheers NB, thoughts on the composition on the back 5 in the Wallabies pack? Frost is the only real leaper with no Hooper or Williams at 6. Valentine has to play but then Wilson has to go to the bench then.

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    JWH 7 minutes ago
    Joe Schmidt reveals ‘doubt’ over Wallabies star ahead of second Lions Test

    Yeah Bobby has been the Wallabies best player for years and honestly been missing from those player of the year nominations. Consistently a top 3 loose forward in the world imo

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    S
    SC 20 minutes ago
    New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

    Barrett’s critics always say this but ironically Barrett has never taken a yellow or red card in a knockout test in a RWC for the All Blacks or in any of the two dozen Super Rugby playoff matches and 8 Grand Finals he has played for the Crusaders.


    So in the tests and matches that MATTER, Barrett has been disciplined while maintaining a very high level of physicality.

    26 Go to comments
    S
    SC 36 minutes ago
    New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

    Razor axed David Havili and Ethan Blackadder who are two of his very favourite Crusaders plus, George Bell.


    How many Crusader legends does he have to axe to prove he is not one eyed or blind loyal ffs.

    26 Go to comments
    M
    Mark 1 hour ago
    'He didn’t miss a beat...When he talks, everyone listens'

    To misquote Winston churchill…”Never, in the face of human sporting endeavour, has so little been done by an individual, to garner the support of so many”.

    He's there because of his dad.

    Let’s stop gaslighting the rugby public!!

    1 Go to comments
    C
    CO 1 hour ago
    The stat in which the Springboks outperformed everyone fivefold in July

    Parson having a chortle over the mismatches

    30 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 2 hours ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    It's how it will always be. We have a hate / love relationship.

    24 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 2 hours ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    Not true. In the public eye, the Boks is one dimensional and the AB's the Kings of running exciting rugby. The AB's are the most feared team with talent that no other nations can match. Even though that is just pure speculation and maybe true of the past, most NZ folks live in the past era, expecting the AB's to always be the strongest and best. So what chance does poor old SA have against a mighty Giant like the AB's? Despite beating them 4 times in a row which they claim was 4 lucky wins. Despite the Boks being double WC winners, which they say the refs helped them win the WC with 3 single point victories. Despite the Boks winning the RC back to back in 2023 and 2024. It was all lucky wins right? Even the trashing at Twickenham was just a lucky wins. I mean, now they claim these same Boks are going to get “SMASHED”.

    24 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 2 hours ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    Most often Kings create their own destruction by creating their own worst enemies. By going after Rassie, WR and it's puppets tried to kill the Boks, only to find that all they did was peel away the outer onion layer only. The Boks have so much more endless layers. Keep peeling those layers, and it will make them cry harder with each peel.

    24 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 2 hours ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    They were a team testing different plays and players. They are a much better side than last year or the WC of ‘23. There is no guarantee of any team winning no, but who wants it more? Who’s mindset will be the strongest? Because that is where the game will be won or lost. Both SA and NZ have exceptional talent. We know it's going to be humdingers. How much is that 4 losses going to bother the AB's? They lost to the Boks and baby Boks in 2 WC Finals. It rankles the NZ public, I know that. Can the AB's players bring back some pride by winning both Tests? Nothing less would be acceptable

    24 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 2 hours ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    Of course they are favourites. Despite losing 4 in a row. In every game the AB's play they are the favourites. It will be 2 great Tests. However, unlike other seasons, the Boks isn't using the RC to build depth. Rassie wants a full house of wins. The WC grouping is at the end of this year. They mean serious business. The question is how the AB's will handle that mindset? That is what is going to decide these Tests. If the AB's mindset isn't set to WC standards, that will cost them big time. This will be 2 WC Final type of matches. What people see from the Boks is a lot of changes, different players. They think it's just depth building. That is an ongoing process and not the main reason anymore. The Boks have various strategies and various players for those strategies. They are ready for the WC. They are looking at the best players. The in team competition is much harder than what the public knows. It's all about who will be the best of the best to represent the Boks. The AB's are good, but they will face a Bok team a whole lot better than the WC Final team. If the AB's can pull off wins, that will mean they are ready, but be sure that the Boks will thrive with every little mistake. The intensity of the game will run the full 80 minutes and the AB's better be fit and ready to go the full 80 minutes.

    24 Go to comments
    T
    Toaster 3 hours ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    Yep the breakdown goes on “whatever is in their heads”


    The Aotearoa rugby pod brings well prepared analysis

    141 Go to comments
    C
    Carlos 3 hours ago
    ‘USA have a way to go to fulfil Moonshot mission but 2031 RWC will be a success’

    I’ve been reading a variation of this story for the last 30 years. Never happens. Always the land of tomorrow.


    WR is even jiggling classification to try to get the USA into the next World Cup. They couldn’t beat Uruguay or Chile to get to the last one. Chile!

    1 Go to comments
    T
    Toaster 3 hours ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    I think we will see Holland and Barrett (health food chain) with Vaai at 6


    Tuipolotu for bench grunt with Finau foe the big boys or Kirifi for a faster game


    My hope anyway

    141 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 3 hours ago
    'Would be great': Ronan O'Gara backs rugby to ape football-style rule change

    A weak coach who can't innovate looks for a cheat code to beat the game.

    5 Go to comments
    S
    SC 3 hours ago
    New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

    With Savea playing 7 and his lack of ruck cleaning and low tackling rate (he is a world class ball carrier and jackal), the All Blacks need a lock- type player playing blindside and smashing as many offensive rucks as possible so that Savea is freed up to ball carry along with whoever is at 8.

    26 Go to comments
    H
    Hellhound 3 hours ago
    'Would be great': Ronan O'Gara backs rugby to ape football-style rule change

    If you can't beat a team knowing who you are going to face, then why become a coach? The players deserve to know who is going to play and to get themselves mentally ready for the game. Ever wondered why soccer players always flip around, acting like the the weakest men in the universe? Like Nigel Owens used to say…” This is rugby, not soccer”. Already people want rugby to become like League where the weak players dwell. Weak coaches can't innovate the game, instead looking to a cheat move to try and gain an upper hand. That is the difference between a coach like Rassie, a double WC winning coach in par for a triple, and coaches like O’Gara. A King in coaching vs a wannabe. Who knew O’Gara would be the next Matt Williams? I would be very ashamed if they were from my country, and luckily they are not. Drivel like that shouldn't be posted unless it is willing to accept the hate that will come with it

    5 Go to comments
    T
    Toaster 3 hours ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    He’s alright doing the tight stuff as shown by his tackle and ruck stats

    He’s got some way to go and maybe they will bench him for the Boks

    They shouldn’t

    It will be good for him


    It’s actually his dominant tackles and open game they will develop but we have seen signs with his offload to Vaai for the try

    141 Go to comments
    T
    Toaster 3 hours ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    34 isn’t past it for a World Cup and he will be 34 just after we win the final 😃🙏


    Yes it’s entirely possible and probable that the Vaai experiment might be shelved for games and they do play lock together


    We may unearth another by then

    Lord still hasn’t had a proper go yet and Tuipolotu at a similar Barrett age seems back to great form too

    141 Go to comments
    S
    SC 3 hours ago
    New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

    As a former lock, it’s frustrating that most media and supporters do not know that there is a significant difference in the roles and duties (even body types) of a 4 power tight lock and 5 aerial loose lock.


    The 4 lock is an enforcer who is very physical and carries hard in tight, a very effective nasty ruck cleaner, a very powerful scrummager behind the tighthead, and hard hitting defender. Often the are the second lineout option at the back. This is the spot Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu, Isaiah Walker- Leawere play. Big tough hard men. Think Bakkies Botha and Brodie Retallick.


    The 5 lock is almost always taller and leaner as their primary responsibility is winning the ball in the air on lineouts and restarts. Height is essential. They clean a ton of rucks and make a lot of tackles but their carries tend to be out wider in space and which requires more athleticism than tight lock. This is where Holland, Va’ai, and Darry play. Think Victor Matfield and Sam Whitelock.


    My point is Holland is way too lean in his body shape at this point, and too inexperienced, and not quite enough mongrel to play 4. Give him time to physically mature and harden up. He is playing great at 5 and Va’ai looks very good at 6.


    And if Hamish believes that Tuipulotu has suddenly become a better tight lock at test level over Barrett based on two performances vs France B god bless him but I’ll base my decision over their career test form, which Barrett has clearly been superior. I do like Tuipulotu as a bench lock playing the last 20-25 minutes for Barrett with a 6-2 bench.

    26 Go to comments
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