Red Roses Adjust Line‑up Ahead of High‑Stakes Clash with New Zealand

The England women’s rugby team, known as the Red Roses, have introduced three alterations to their match‑day squad for the pivotal test against the Black Ferns at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on Saturday. Front‑row prop Sarah Bern and fellow prop Mackenzie Carson will start alongside hooker Bryony Field, who earns her second start of the campaign. In the back row, veteran No.

8 Maddie Feaunati is recalled, prompting a shift for vice‑captain Alex Matthews from blindside flanker to the No. 6 position. The second‑row pairing of Morwenna Talling and Lilli Ives Campion remains unchanged, and the back‑row unit is completed by Sadia Kabeya, giving England a balanced and experienced pack. The Red Roses have been forced to adapt after their astonishing 39‑match winning streak was halted by a 26‑26 draw with Canada at Sandy Park last week.

Head coach John Mitchell reflected on the setback, saying, "We’re moving forward in the right direction while building depth in our cover. Now we look forward to renewing a rivalry with a New Zealand side we haven’t played since 2024.

They are playing good rugby at the moment and it’s no surprise to see them raise their standards. Test matches against the best teams in the world are what we relish and look forward to, especially at Allianz Stadium." The backline is unchanged from the side that faced Canada. Scrum‑half Lucy Packer and fly‑half Zoe Harrison continue to dictate the tempo, while centre partnership of Helena Rowland and captain Megan Jones provides a solid defensive wall and creative attacking options. On the wing, Claudia Moloney‑MacDonald retains her place after crossing the line twice at Sandy Park, and the back three also features Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach, both of whom bring pace and finishing ability.

Among the 23‑player match‑day roster, former England internationals Natasha Hunt and Tatyana Heard have been re‑included, adding experience to the bench. Emma Sing will make her debut in the WXV Global Series, marking a personal milestone and offering fresh energy off the bench. The atmosphere at Allianz Stadium is expected to be electric, with more than 50,000 fans projected to attend the 34th encounter between England and New Zealand. Historically, the Red Roses have been dominant on home soil, unbeaten in their last 53 matches since a narrow 20‑25 loss to the Black Ferns at the Twickenham Stoop in November 2016.

They have also won each of their last 13 games at Allianz Stadium, while the Black Ferns have suffered only a single defeat in 17 outings since the start of 2025. The starting XV for England reads as follows: 15 Ellie Kildunne (Bristol Bears), 14 Jess Breach (Saracens), 13 Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women), 12 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), 11 Claudia Moloney‑MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), 10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens), 9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins); 1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester‑Hartpury), 2 Bryony Field (Saracens), 3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), 4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), 5 Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), 6 Alex Matthews (Gloucester‑Hartpury), 7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), 8 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs).

Replacements are May Campbell (Saracens), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Maud Muir (Gloucester‑Hartpury), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), Marlie Packer (Harlequins), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester‑Hartpury), Tatyana Heard (Sale Sharks) and Emma Sing (Gloucester‑Hartpury). New Zealand, the Black Ferns, are entering the match as the last side to defeat England in a major tournament, having upset the Roses in the final of the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Head coach Whitney Hansen, daughter of former All Blacks boss Steve Hansen, has reinforced her squad with the return of loose forward Kaipo Olsen‑Baker, winger Ayesha Leti‑I'iga and lock Laura Bayfield after a commanding 66‑14 victory over Scotland. Hansen praised her players, describing them as "made for these moments" as they aim to extend their current run of seven consecutive Test wins.

The Black Ferns’ starting XV includes Braxton Sorensen‑McGee at fullback, Mererangi Paul on the right wing, and the powerful centre combination of Logo‑I‑Pulotu Brunt and Amy Du Plessis. Ayesha Leti‑I'iga occupies the left wing, while the half‑back pairing features Hannah King at fly‑half and Maia Joseph at scrum‑half. The forward pack is anchored by captain Georgian Ponsonby at lock, with Veisinia Mahutariki‑Fakalelu, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Laura Bayfield and Liana Mikaele‑Tu'u filling the second row. Kaipo Olsen‑Baker starts at No.

8, supported by Elinor‑Plum King at blindside flanker and the versatile Alex Matthews‑style player in the back row. The bench for New Zealand includes Atlanta Lolohea, Maddison Robinson, Santo Taumata, Maama Mo'onia Vaipulu, Layla Sae, Tara Turner, Justine McGregor and Alena Saili, offering depth across the backline and forwards. Both coaches stress the significance of this fixture beyond the immediate result.

Mitchell views the game as a benchmark for the depth he is building within England, while Hansen sees it as an opportunity to test the Black Ferns’ evolving identity against a traditional rival. The clash promises high‑intensity rugby, tactical battles in the set‑piece, and a showcase of the growing professionalism in women’s international sport. With a packed stadium, global audiences, and the weight of recent history on both sides, the Red Roses versus Black Ferns encounter is set to be a defining moment in the 2024‑25 WXV season.