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England remain confident Ellie Kildunne will be fit for this summer’s Rugby World Cup build-up after the joint-top try scorer in this year’s women’s Six Nations was ruled out of Saturday’s grand slam decider due to a hamstring injury.
Kildunne, the current World Rugby player of the year, has played all four games of England’s campaign in their attempt to win a seventh successive title, but will be replaced by Emma Sing at full-back for the match at Twickenham against fellow unbeaten Six Nations rivals France.
England’s head coach, John Mitchell, however, played down the significance of Kildunne’s absence, insisting she was expected to take part in their pre-World Cup camps. “She could play, it’s just something we need to make sure we get right,” he said of Saturday’s decider. “[The thought process has been] let’s not lose her as a result of stretching it any further and let’s back our squad.
“Emma’s a world class full-back. She has been the best in the PWR [Premiership Women’s Rugby]. It gives us a chance to adapt and another chance to deal with a situation that might occur down the track so we’re more than confident to make that decision.
“Ellie will be back into it in June, there should be no restrictions when it comes to June.”
Gloucester-Hartpury’s Sing will make only her third start for her country as one of eight changes made to the Red Roses’s starting XV from the side that defeated Scotland.
A shuffle in the back row means former captain Marlie Packer drops out of the matchday 23 with Maddie Feaunati moved to openside flanker. With Feaunati switched to openside, Alex Matthews comes in at No 8 and current captain Zoe Aldcroft, the only England player to keep her starting shirt throughout the tournament, features at blindside flanker.
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England v France teams
ShowEngland: Sing; Dow, Jones, Heard, MacDonald; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (c), Feunati, Matthews.
Replacements: Cokayne, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.
France: Bourgeois; Grisez, M Ménager, Vernier, Arbey; Arbez, Bourdon Sansus; Brosseau, Bigot, Khalfaoui, M Feleu (c), Fall-Raclot, Escudero, Champon, T Feleu.
Replacements: Riffonneau, Mwayembe, Bernadou, Zago, Berthoumieu, Maka, Chambon, Queyroi
The wing Claudia MacDonald also starts following a two-try performance against Scotland with Abby Dow – who sits atop the try-scoring statistics on four alongside Kildunne and Ireland’s Aoife Wafer – completing the back three. That means no place for Jess Breach in the matchday squad but Zoe Harrison gets the nod at fly-half.
Mitchell has been keen to experiment with different combinations this tournament. When asked if this 23 was his strongest, he said: “We’ve obviously been planning with the end [Rugby World Cup] in mind and we’ve tried to create situations in the tournament that are going to be like the experience at the end of the year, so it requires a lot of patience from the girls.
“They have known their roles but every player wants to play every game. They’ve had to adapt and learn to deal with that. This is a combination that’s based on a tactical selection. The girls who, I think, have been more consistent in the tournament and the skillsets we require on the weekend have got the nod. That doesn’t mean the other girls are any less better, it’s just the fact you have to go for the strengths within your group and use them when you need them.”
