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One change for six-in-a-row title-chasing England heading to France
By Liam Heagney
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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