Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

WXV 1: Alex Matthews to captain England for the first time, two players make Test debuts

England's number 8 Alex Matthews walks with her "Player of the match" prize at the end of the autumn international women's rugby union match between England and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham in south-west London on September 14, 2024. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

England coach John Mitchell makes seven changes to the starting team who defeated the Black Ferns at Allianz Stadium as the Red Roses begin their WXV 1 title defence against the USA on 29 September.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of the changes, four backs come into the starting team, including two players making their Test debuts, while three changes are made in the forwards, including the captain.

The fixture between the USA and England will be the first time international women’s rugby has been played at BC Place in Vancouver, kicking off at 20:30 BST, 12:30 local time. 

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Bo Westcombe-Evans and Phoebe Murray will make their England debuts, replacing Abby Dow and Tatyana Heard at right wing and inside centre respectively for the Red Roses’ first match of WXV 1. 

Georgia Brock, who made her debut against the Black Ferns on 14 September, is named at openside flanker for her first England start. The 23-year-old replaces captain Marlie Packer, who doesn’t feature in the matchday 23.

Brock will be joined in the back row by Sale Sharks’ Morwenna Talling, who starts on the blindside ahead of Maddie Feaunati who is named as a replacement. 

The captaincy is awarded to Alex Matthews, who retains her starting place at number eight. Gloucester-Hartpury’s Matthews will captain her country for the first time and will additionally win her 70th England cap in the same match. The 31-year-old was named player of the match in England’s 24-12 win over New Zealand a fortnight ago. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Related

In the second row, Rosie Galligan returns from injury to play in her first international match since the Six Nations in April, partnering with Abbie Ward. Zoe Aldcroft, who started the two warm-up fixtures, moves to the bench. 

The front row remains unchanged, with British Colombia-born Mackenzie Carson starting alongside Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern. Kelsey Clifford gets the nod ahead of Hannah Botterman on the bench, joining Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir as front-row replacements.

Zoe Harrison and Lucy Packer form the half-back pairing, both moving into a starting shirt from their positions on the bench in the last match. Starting fly-half last time out Holly Aitchison starts on the bench alongside scrum-half Ella Wyrwas. 

Linking up with debutant Murray, Emily Scarratt will complete the centre partnership on her 101st start. Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach will start in the same positions as the last match, with Kildunne the scorer of one of four England tries in Twickenham. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Attack coach Lou Meadows said: “We have been building on our game for the past eight weeks towards our WXV opener against USA. This group of girls are excited for their opportunity to attack the tournament right from the start for the Red Roses this Sunday. We understand our reality and just want to get playing.” 

England and the USA will open proceedings in a triple-header on the first day of this year’s WXV, the Eagles moving up from WXV 2 after their third-place finish at the Pacific Four Series earlier in the year.

Related

Canada vs France and New Zealand vs Ireland will follow in a jam-packed day at BC Place, tickets are available here.

Fans can watch the match via their local broadcaster, BBC iPlayer for those in the UK, or on RugbyPass TV when not shown by a local provider (geo-blocking applies). 

England are currently on a 17-game winning streak, unbeaten since they lost the Rugby World Cup final in November 2022. Following their first-round fixture against the USA, they will additionally face World Champions New Zealand and Pacific Four Series Champions Canada in WXV 1.

Fixture
WXV 1
USA Women
21 - 61
Full-time
England Women
All Stats and Data

Red Roses team to play USA

15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 45 caps) 

14 Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped) 

13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 113 caps) 

12 Phoebe Murray (Bristol Bears, uncapped) 

11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 40 caps) 

10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 51 caps) 

9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 23 caps) 

1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 17 caps) 

2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 59 caps) 

3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 63 caps) 

4 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 16 caps) 

5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 66 caps) 

6 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 15 caps) 

7 Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury, 1 cap) 

8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 69 caps) – captain 

Replacements 

16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 76 caps) 

17 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 8 caps) 

18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 32 caps) 

19 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 55 caps) 

20 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps) 

21 Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, 6 caps) 

22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 32 caps) 

23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 31 caps) 

ADVERTISEMENT

USA vs Japan | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
B
BC 214 days ago

Not surprised at the number of changes, Mitchell has only a few games left to "experiment". Scarratt will be crucial to helping the debutants inside and outside her I expect a more usual looking team for the BFs match. It is also about managing workloads.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
HUDAN BROTHERHOOD 19 minutes ago
Can Rugby Australia afford to go ‘all in’ on the Queensland Reds?

+2349150461519 MY PEOPLE THIS IS AN EASY WAY TO JOIN SECRET OCCULT AND MAKE REAL OCCULT MONEY & BE TOTALLY FREE FROM FINANCIAL BONDAGE, POVERTY AND ENJOY WEALTH, RICHES, FORTUNE, SUCCESS AND BE SO POWERFUL TO CONTROL HUMAN BEYOND THEIR EXPECTATIONS, BUT REMEMBER THAT MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW WILL BE CHOSEN, THIS OCCULTIC KINGDOM IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY ONLY THOSE WITH THE WILL POWER AND DESTINY STAR WILL MAKE IT.


CONTACT THE TEMPLE GRANDMASTER…..


PHONE: +2349150461519


OR


EMAIL: hudanoccult@gmail.com


WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? JOIN US TODAY AND TURN YOUR DREAMS TO REALITY, WE ARE THE GREAT HUDAN BROTHERHOOD OCCULT MEMBERS.


IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN OCCULT MEMBER TO BE RICH, POWERFUL, WEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND SUPER FAMOUS THEN YOU'RE NOT FAR FROM ACHIEVING YOUR LIFE DREAMS. YES WE GUARANTEE WEALTH FOR ALL OUR MEMBERS. A LIFE WELL LIVED IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY ALTHOUGH THE LACK OF MONEY IS OFTEN THE SOURCE OF MUCH UNHAPPINESS.

+2349150461519


IF WE POSSESS THE SAME KNOWLEDGE AS THE RICH AND POWERFUL AND USE THE SAME STRATEGIES AND TACTICS, DOES IT NOT ALSO FOLLOW THAT WE TOO CAN BECOME RICH AND POWERFUL? THINK ABOUT IT— TAKE ANY MILLIONAIRE AND BANKRUPT HIM, TAKE AWAY EVERYTHING HE HAS AND IT WON'T BELONG BEFORE HE'S BACK ON HIS FEET AND MAKES HIS NEXT MILLION.

+2349150461519


YOU DON”T NEED TO BLAME YOUR SELF IF YOU ARE BORN IN POOR FAMILY IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT BUT IF YOU DIE POOR THAT’S YOUR FAULT SO THINK WISE. JOIN US NOW TO MAKE YOUR INSTANT WEALTH, PROTECTION, FAME AND POWER.


WE THE GREAT HUDAN BROTHERHOOD OCCULT ARE A GROUP OF DYNAMIC INDIVIDUALS WHO STAND FORTH AS THE ULTIMATE UNDERGROUND ALTERNATIVE— THE ALIEN ELITE. WE REALIZE WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE ARE AND WHAT WE SHALL BECOME.


OUR SCOPE IS UNLIMITED AND THE EXTENT OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS BASED UPON YOUR OWN POTENTIAL. THE BROTHERHOOD BELIEVES THAT CAPITAL IS MONEY, CAPITAL IS COMMODITIES, BY VIRTUE OF IT BEING VALUE, IT HAS ACQUIRED THE OCCULT ABILITY TO ADD VALUE TO ITSELF.


IT BRINGS FORTH LIVING OFFSPRING OR AT THE LEAST LAYS GOLDEN EGGS. THE ROAD TO FREEDOM LIES NOT THROUGH MYSTERIES OR OCCULT PERFORMANCES, BUT THROUGH THE INTELLIGENT USE OF SPIRITUAL FORCES.


IT'S THE AGE OF CIVILIZATION, ENLIGHTENMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AND MANY OLD OCCULT AND CULTURES THAT HAD RULED HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE, BUT THE ONE THING THAT STILL LINKS US WITH OUR FOREFATHERS IS THE GREAT LENGTHS WE STILL GO TO MAKE MONEY.


MONEY RULES THE DAY, BUT WHILE OUR FOREFATHERS HAD MORE TRADITIONAL MEANS OF MAKING MONEY, WE HAVE DEVELOPED MUCH MORE MODERN STYLES OF MAKING MONEY.


MANY OF US BELIEVE THAT THE AGE OF “MONEY RITUALS” IS OVER, BUT WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A MONEY RITUAL? MONEY RITUALS ARE PRACTICES BY SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THEY CAN CREATE WEALTH FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH THE USE OF SPELLS, CHARMS AND SACRIFICES.


MONEY RITUALS CAN BE TRACED TO VARIOUS PARTS OF AFRICA AND EVEN THE WEST, WHERE PEOPLE USE ANIMALS FOR (SACRIFICES) WITHOUT NO BODY EFFECT OR HUMAN ORGANS OF THEIR BODY. THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IS USUALLY SEEN AS “BLOOD MONEY” AND WAS COMMONLY ATTRIBUTED TO DIFFERENT TRADITIONAL GODS.


OCCULT KNOWLEDGE MEANS KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS “HIDDEN”, BUT IT ALSO MEANS KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS KNOWN. IT IS KNOWLEDGE THAT IS KNOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE THOSE WHO KNOW IT; THERE COULD BE NO KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT THE KNOWERS OF IT.

+2349150461519


TRUE OCCULT KNOWLEDGE CAN BE OBTAINED ONLY BY THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE PATH TO IT. THAT PATH WAS SET DOWN BY THOSE WHO KNOW; ALL WHO WILL AND CAN ARRIVE AT THAT KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS NOT A PATH OPEN ONLY TO CERTAIN PERSONS; IT IS OPEN TO EVERY LIVING HUMAN BEING AND LIMITED ONLY BY THE LIMITATIONS WE OURSELVES PLACE AROUND IT THROUGH CHOICE OR THROUGH IGNORANCE.

+2349150461519


IN ALL FORMS OF OCCULTISM THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE WHICH CANNOT BE TRANSGRESSED, IF ANY GOAL AT ALL IS TO BE REACHED. EVERY OCCULT TEACHER MUST IMPRESS IT UPON HIS PUPILS, AND IT RUNS AS FOLLOWS: EVERY BRANCH OF KNOWLEDGE WHICH YOU SEEK ONLY TO ENRICH YOUR OWN LEARNING, ONLY TO ACCUMULATE TREASURE FOR YOURSELF, LEADS YOU AWAY FROM THE PATH.


BUT ALL KNOWLEDGE WHICH YOU SEEK FOR WORKING IN THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY AND FOR THE UPLIFTING OF THE WORLD BRINGS YOU A STEP FORWARD. THIS LAW MUST BE RIGIDLY OBSERVED; NOR IS ONE A GENUINE DISCIPLE UNTIL HE HAS ADOPTED IT AS THE GUIDE FOR HIS WHOLE LIFE.


IN MANY OCCULT SCHOOLS THIS TRUTH IS EXPRESSED IN THE FOLLOWING SHORT SENTENCES. EVERY IDEA WHICH DOES NOT BECOME AN IDEAL FOR YOU, SLAYS A POWER IN YOUR SOUL: EVERY IDEA WHICH BECOMES AN IDEAL CREATES WITHIN YOU LIVING POWERS.


THE SUMERIAN GOD OF WEALTH WILL GIVE WEALTH TO ALL THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK OUR HELP, TO ALL THAT ARE BOLD TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME. OUR POWER OF RICHNESS IS TO ALL WHO ARE IN POVERTY AND NEED OUR WEALTH THROUGH OUR POWER OF INSTANT WEALTH INVOCATION.


SIMPLY CONTACT THE WISE ONE NOW, IT IS THEN LEFT FOR YOU TO MAKE A CHOICE TO BE RICH OR TO REMAIN POOR. INSTANT WEALTH INITIATION IS FREE ONLY THE MATERIALS FOR YOUR INITIATION YOU MUST PROVIDE AND COME ALONG WITH IT TO THE TEMPLE.


VISA


ANY PERSON SEEKING FOR VISA TO ANY COUNTRY OF HIS/HER CHOICE CAN ALSO CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD FOR A BREAK THROUGH, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED.


PROMOTIONS


IF YOU HAVE BEEN OR ARE A WORKER/STAFF OF ANY FIRM OR WORK PLACE AND NEED A PROMOTION FROM YOUR CURRENT STATE TO A HIGHER STATE. JUST CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD AND HAVE YOUR CHANCE.


DEBT


ANY PERSON IN DEBT OR HAS MONEY PROBLEMS WITH ANYBODY CAN CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD FOR A SOLUTION.


POVERTY


IF YOU HAVE BEEN STRUCK DOWN BY POVERTY JUST CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD, TO BECOME A MEMBER AND YOU WILL START ENJOYING IN RICHES.


SPIRITUAL ATTACKS


IF YOU ARE BEEN ATTACKED BY ANY FORM OF SPIRITS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, THEN CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD TO BECOME A MEMBER AND KNOW THE KIND OF SPIRIT TORMENTING YOUR LIFE AND THE SOLUTION TO IT.


VENGEANCE


IF YOU ARE IN HEADLOCKS WITH SOMEONE AND YOU WISH TO SETTLE THE CASE IN YOUR FAVOR THEN CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD TO BECOME A MEMBER AND YOU SHALL SURELY GAIN WHAT YOU SEEK FOR.


PROTECTION


IF YOU WANT A STRONG PROTECTION. EITHER FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR AGAINST YOUR COMPETITORS, KINDLY CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD TO BECOME A MEMBER AND YOU WILL BE SAFE.


OTHERS


NO MATTER YOUR PROBLEMS OR GRIEVANCES, JUST CONTACT THE BROTHERHOOD TO BECOME A MEMBER AND ALL YOUR INTENTIONS AND PROBLEMS WILL BE A THING SORTED OUT.


GENERAL INFORMATION


OUR RITUALS,


MONEY RITUALS.


JOB RITUALS.


POWER RITUALS.


PROSPERITY RITUALS.


BANISHING DEBT RITUALS.


LOTTO RITUALS.


REVENGE RITUALS.


E.T. C.


TO CONTACT US CALL


PHONE: +2349150461519 .

57 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Irish provinces in danger of being left further behind, in their own country Irish provinces in danger of being left further behind, in their own country
Search