England's head coach, John Mitchell, remains optimistic as the team copes with a mounting injury list. Five changes have been made to the starting lineup for the upcoming Guinness Women's Six Nations match against Scotland, with 19-year-old Demelza Short making her debut as a blindside flanker.
Other new additions include fly-half Zoe Harrison, full-back Emma Sing, lock Abi Burton, and prop Maud Muir. The team is looking to build on their 33-12 victory over Ireland. To accommodate Sing, Ellie Kildunne has been shifted to the left wing, while Maddie Feaunati has moved from blindside flanker to No 8 due to Alex Matthews' shoulder injury. Matthews is the latest in a series of injuries, including those to Hannah Botterman, Morwenna Talling, Natasha Hunt, May Campbell, and Tatyana Heard, all of whom are out for the tournament.
Additional players, Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, Rosie Galligan, and Lark Atkin-Davies, are also unavailable due to pregnancy. Mitchell noted, 'We've had to adapt due to injuries, but it creates opportunities for others and highlights our growing depth.' Defence coach Sarah Hunter sees this as a chance to develop younger players in preparation for the 2029 World Cup, stating, 'It might accelerate their development.' The starting XV includes Emma Sing, Jess Breach, Megan Jones, Helena Rowland, Ellie Kildunne, Zoe Harrison, Lucy Packer, Kelsey Clifford, Amy Cokayne, Maud Muir, Abi Burton, Lilli Ives Campion, Demelza Short, Sadia Kabeya, and Maddie Feaunati.