Preview: Red Roses vs Scotland
Everything you need to know ahead of the Red Roses' TikTok Women's Six Nations opener against Scotland at Kingston Park.
Simon Middleton has named his Red Roses side to play Scotland in their TikTok Six Nations opener at Kingston Park this weekend.
| When? | Saturday 25 March |
| Where? | Kingston Park, Newcastle |
| Kick off? | 16:45 |
Sarah Hunter will co-captain the side on the occasion of her final game in a Red Roses shirt after announcing her retirement from rugby following the game in her hometown of Newcastle.
Fellow co-captain Marlie Packer starts at openside flanker, while Sadia Kabeya packs down on the blind side.
Mackenzie Carson will make her England debut as she starts in the front row alongside Amy Cokayne and Sarah Bern, meanwhile Zoe Aldcroft and Poppy Cleall are the lock pairing.
In the backs, Lucy Packer and Holly Aitchison are the halfback pairing, while Amber Reed and Lagi Tuima start in the centres.
A starting back three brimming with pace features Claudia MacDonald, Jess Breach and Abby Dow.
Wasps' Liz Crake and Saracens' Kelsey Clifford could make their England debuts from the bench as they are both named in the replacement front row alongside Lark Davies. Cath O'Donnell and Sarah Beckett are also named on the bench.
Ella Wyrwas is another name who could make her debut. She is named in the back replacements alongside Tatyana Heard and Emma Sing.
TEAMS
Red Roses
15. Abby Dow, 14. Jessica Breach, 13. Lagi Tuima, 12. Amber Reed, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Holly Aitchison, 9. Lucy Packer, 1. Mackenzie Carson, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Zoe Aldcroft, 5. Poppy Cleall, 6. Sadia Kabeya, 7. Marlie Packer (CC), 8. Sarah Hunter (CC)
Replacements
16. Lark Davies, 17. Liz Crake, 18. Kelsey Clifford, 19. Catherine O'Donnell, 20. Sarah Beckett, 21. Ella Wyrwas, 22. Tatyana Heard, 23. Emma Sing
Scotland
15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Coreen Grant, 13. Emma Orr, 12. Meryl Smith, 11. Francesca McGhie, 10. Helen Nelson (VC), 9. Caity Mattinson, 1. Leah Bartlett, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Christine Belisle, 4. Lyndsay O'Donnell, 5. Louise McMillan, Rachel Malcolm (C), 7. Rachel McLachlan, 8. Evie Gallagher
Replacements
16. Jodie Rettie, 17. Anne Young, 18. Elliann Clarke, 19. Eva Donaldson, 20. Eilidh Sinclair, 21. Mairi McDonald, 22. Beth Blacklock, 23. Liz Musgrove.
VIEWS FROM CAMP
Simon Middleton: “I’m excited, there is such a different dynamic about the squad as we have so many new faces and it’s been different in training the last three weeks. There has been a real buzz around the place and in some ways it has been like starting from scratch again as we have things we wanted to develop within the squad as we came out of the World Cup. When you bring in so many new players, you just have to take things back a little bit. The seniors have become very patient whilst we work with some of the younger players to get them up to speed.
"We have had a really good week, the training has been outstanding so we are going to be as ready as we can be come Saturday.”
Sarah Hunter: “It will be a really special game for me. I try and think about the rugby side of things, but also try and let every last bit of it soak in.
"The focus has to be on the game and not me. This team is at the start of this really important campaign and it’s a significant part of a new cycle for this journey coming of the back of the World Cup.
Zoe Aldcroft: "There are lots of fresh faces in camp, they’ve really helped to raise the energy and push on as a team. It’s a really positive thing to see. Coming into camp I was nervous, but it’s been so positive. The buy-in from all the girls has been excellent, and there have obviously been a lot of new learnings for everybody, so we’re all building and learning together. It’s great to be back in camp full of energy."
STATS
The Red Roses have won all 21 of their previous matches against Scotland in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations by an average margin of 46 points.
England have won each of their last 19 games in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, the joint-longest run of any side in the history of the Championship, alongside the 19 consecutive games they won between 2005 and 2009 and between 2009 and 2013.
Only six players scored 3+ tries in last year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations, five were Red Roses players: Poppy Cleall (3), Marlie Packer (4), Sarah Bern (5), Lydia Thompson (5) and Lark Davies (5).
England registered more possession (60%) and territory (58%) than any other side in last year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations, while Scotland averaged the second most possession (53%)
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
2022: Scotland 5-57 Red Roses
2021: Red Roses 52-10 Scotland
2020: Scotland 0-53 Red Roses
2019: Red Roses 80-0 Scotland
2018: Scotland 8-43 Red Roses
