Six Nations Preview: Red Roses v Italy
Everything you need to know ahead of the Red Roses' TikTok Women's Six Nations fixture against Italy in Northampton.
Simon Middleton's side will be looking to build on their opening ground victory against Scotland when they host Italy in Northampton on Sunday.
Marlie Packer captains the side with Zoe Aldcroft named vice-captain at No.8. Sadia Kabeya packs down on the blind side to complete the back row.
It's a first cap for Bristol Bears' Delaney Burns, who is named in the starting lock pairing alongside Cath O'Donnell. Meanwhile, in an unchanged front row, Mackenzie Carson, Amy Cokayne and Sarah Bern are named as starters.
In the backs, Lucy Packer pulls the strings at scrum half, with Holly Aitchison outside her. Tatyana Heard and Lagi Tuima are the centre pairing, while Claudia MacDonald (left wing), Jess Breach (right wing) and Abby Dow (full back) make up the back three.
On the bench, Lark Davies, Liz Crake and Kelsey Clifford are the replacement front row options. Uncapped Harlequins forward Emily Robinson could make her Red Roses debut as she is named in the 23 for the first time. Sarah Beckett, Ella Wyrwas, Sarah McKenna and Emma Sing are also named in as replacements.
TEAMS
England
Starting
15. Abby Dow, 14. Jessica Breach, 13. Lagi Tuima, 12. Tatyana Heard, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Holly Aitchison, 9. Lucy Packer, 1. Mackenzie Carson, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Catherine O'Donnell, 5. Delaney Burns, 6. Sadia Kabeya, 7. Marlie Packer (C), 8. Zoe Aldcroft (VC)
Finishers
16. Lark Davies, 17. Liz Crake, 18. Kelsey Clifford, 19. Sarah Beckett, 20. Emily Robinson, 21. Ella Wyrwas, 22. Sarah McKenna, 23. Emma Sing
Italy
Starting
15. Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14. Aura Muzzo, 13. Michela Sillari, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Sofia Stefan, 10. Veronica Madia, 9. Sara Barattin, 1. Gaia Maris, 2. Vittoria Vecchini, 3. Lucia Gai, 4. Sara Tounesi, 5. Giordana Duca, 6. Francesca Sgorbini, 7. Giada Franco, 8. Elisa Giordano (C)
Replacements
16. Emanuela Stecca, 17. Alice Cassaghi, 18. Sara Seye, 19. Valeria Fedrigh, 20. Isabella Locatelli, 21. Emma Stevanin, 22. Jessica Busato, 23. Beatrice Capomaggi
VIEWS FROM CAMP
Simon Middleton: "We have a great amount of strength and depth across our squad with players coming in from the Premier15s like Delaney Burns who we have given her first cap to this weekend so we are happy to get her in to step up. She has come into the squad and shown a great deal of maturity for such a young player in an elite environment showing her temperament, knowledge of the game, skillset and bravery."
Marlie Packer: "I want to make sure the girls are in the best place they can be to perform on the pitch, I’m driving across the messages and the game plan whilst also researching the new cappers coming into the squad. The player pool we have is amazing which means we can call on players bringing them into training knowing they will raise their game."
Italy Captain, Elisa Giordano: "England are always very strong and physical so we will have to tackle low. As for the rest, we do what we know how to do. We might not be at their level, physically at least, but we will give everything we have to play a good game. We are very happy facing the challenge after all the effort that has been put in."
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
2021: Italy 3-67 England
2020: Italy 0-54 England
2019: England 60-3 Italy
2019: England 55-0 Italy
2018: Italy 7-42 England
STATS
England have won all 16 of their previous TikTok Women’s Six Nations matches against Italy, including their most recent by a margin of 74 points (74-0), their biggest ever win against Italy in the Championship.
England have won each of their last 20 games in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, the longest ever winning run of any side in the Championship.
Italy won their most recent away game in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations (10-8 v Wales) after losing three in a row previously.
England scored 10 tries against Scotland in the opening round of this year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations – it is the fifth time a team has scored 10+ tries in the Championship since the start of 2020, with all five instances having been recorded by the Red Roses.
Related topics
- Attack
- T - Tries
- M - Metres carried
- C - Carries
- DB - Defenders beaten
- CB - Clean breaks
- P - Passes
- O - Offloads
- TC - Turnovers conceded
- TA - Try assists
- PTS - Points
- Defence
- Tackles - Tackles
- MT - Missed tackles
- TW - Turnovers won
- Kicking
- K - Kicks in play
- C - Conversions
- PG - Penalty goals
- DG - Drop goals
- Set plays
- TW - Throws won
- LW - Lineouts won
- LS - Lineout steals
- Discipline
- PC - Penalties conceded
- RC - Red cards
- YC - Yellow cards
Red Roses power past Italy in Six Nations
Four tries from Abby Dow helped the Red Roses topple Italy 68-5 in the second round of the Six Nations.
In front of 12,947 fans at Northampton's Franklin's Gardens, Dow's efforts were in addition to a Jess Breach hat-trick, two from Claudia MacDonald and Marlie Packer and one for Tatyana Heard, that saw off a persistent Italy side, whose only points came via Sara Tounesi.
Breach struck inside the opening two minutes, after England stretched the Italian defence from touchline to touchline - Aitchison conducting the pace of play before providing the miss-pass assist. The fly-half was also on hand to convert the effort making it 7-0.
Italy’s response was immediate however, as they forced a penalty from the restart and kicked into the corner. Second row Tounesi powered over the hosts' line off the back of a dominant five-metre rolling maul cutting the deficit to two.
England’s second came on the eight-minute mark, as Breach collected a pinpoint Aitchison cross-field kick before tipping it back inside to the supporting Dow who went over, as Simon Middleton's charges took complete control of the Test.
Not to be outdone by her fellow backs MacDonald sprang into life, and claimed the next two tries. The first, on 17 minutes, saw her pierce through the Azzurre line from halfway, handing off Michela Sillari to power through a gap and accelerate into the corner. Her second secured the bonus point and came as a result of Lagi Tuima putting Sarah Bern through a gap, before the prop provided the easiest of walk-ins for the winger.
Breach bagged the Red Roses' fifth on the stroke of half time with a neat finish in the corner to make it 27-5 at the break. The half time stats showed England's dominance, as they carried for 280 more metres and made 60 more carries, as well as controlling possession and territory.
The Red Roses picked up where they left off at the resumption, as Heard got on the scoreboard within six minutes, the centre brushed off prop Lucia Gai to go under the sticks, setting up a simple conversion for Tuima, and extending the lead to 29 points.
And shortly after Dow completed her hat-trick in the space of three minutes - dotting down in the same corner on both occasions - the second of which she started in her own half, breezing down the flank before stepping her opposite number Aura Muzzo. Substitute Emma Sing was handed the kicking duties, and converted one of the touchline efforts to make it 46-5.
Middleton's charges began to run riot in the final quarter, as Breach confirmed her hat-trick as the hour passed, and captain Packer got in on the action - powering over from close range. In doing so she became the Red Roses' top try-scoring forward of all time, overtaking Gill Burns. With 10 minutes left in the Test, Dow claimed her fourth, and Packer grabbed another - her 37th England try - to confirm an impressive 68-5 win.
After the fallow week, England are next in action on 15 April, when they meet Wales in Round 3.
Teams
England
Starting
15. Abby Dow, 14. Jessica Breach, 13. Lagi Tuima, 12. Tatyana Heard, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Holly Aitchison, 9. Lucy Packer, 1. Mackenzie Carson, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Catherine O'Donnell, 5. Delaney Burns, 6. Sadia Kabeya, 7. Marlie Packer (C), 8. Zoe Aldcroft (VC).
Finishers
16. Lark Davies, 17. Liz Crake, 18. Kelsey Clifford, 19. Sarah Beckett, 20. Emily Robinson, 21. Ella Wyrwas, 22. Sarah McKenna, 23. Emma Sing
Italy
Starting
15. Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14. Aura Muzzo, 13. Michela Sillari, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Sofia Stefan, 10. Veronica Madia, 9. Sara Barattin, 1. Gaia Maris, 2. Vittoria Vecchini, 3. Lucia Gai, 4. Sara Tounesi, 5. Giordana Duca, 6. Francesca Sgorbini, 7. Giada Franco, 8. Elisa Giordano (C).
Replacements
16. Emanuela Stecca, 17. Alice Cassaghi, 18. Sara Seye, 19. Valeria Fedrigh, 20. Isabella Locatelli, 21. Emma Stevanin, 22. Jessica Busato, 23. Beatrice Capomaggi.
Fixtures & Results
Red Roses 68 - 5 Italy
15 April - Wales v Red Roses
22 April - Ireland v Red Roses
29 April - Red Roses v France
