England's Red Roses are gearing up to face Scotland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations, despite being plagued by a string of injuries. Head coach John Mitchell has made five changes to the starting lineup, including handing a debut to 19-year-old Demelza Short at blindside flanker.
The team is looking to build on their 33-12 victory over Ireland, with fly-half Zoe Harrison, full-back Emma Sing, lock Abi Burton, and prop Maud Muir also joining the starting XV. Ellie Kildunne has shifted to the left wing to accommodate Sing, while Maddie Feaunati has moved from blindside flanker to No 8 to fill the void left by Alex Matthews' shoulder injury.
Matthews is the latest casualty in a long list of absentees, which includes Hannah Botterman, Morwenna Talling, Natasha Hunt, May Campbell, and Tatyana Heard, all of whom have been ruled out for the entire tournament. Additionally, Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, Rosie Galligan, and Lark Atkin-Davies are missing due to pregnancy. Mitchell remains optimistic, stating that the injuries have created opportunities for other players to step up and showcase the team's depth. Defence coach Sarah Hunter views the situation as a chance to build for the next World Cup in 2029, particularly in the second row, where the team has lost several key players.
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.