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The Independent UK

Sport

Harry Latham-Coyle

Emily Scarratt to make 100th start as England’s Red Roses take on world champion Black Ferns

Emily Scarratt Red Roses John Mitchell England Helena Rowland Allianz Stadium (Organization) Bristol Bears Abbie Ward New Zealand WXV

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Emily Scarratt will make her 100^th start for England rugby as the Red Roses take on New Zealand in the first fixture at the renamed Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

Veteran centre Scarratt is promoted to the starting side in the 13 shirt, and becomes only the third Red Rose to reach a milestone of a century of starts after Sarah Hunter and Rocky Clark.

Her elevation is one of five changes to John Mitchell’s side, with the front row swapped out from the win over France and Abbie Ward back to full fitness to start at lock. Gloucester-Hartpury flanker Georgia Brock, meanwhile, is set for a debut from the bench.

The 34-year-old Scarratt returns to an outside centre berth she made her own for more than a decade. The versatile Loughborough back had been seen as more of an option at 12 during the Women’s Six Nations, but replaces club colleague Helena Rowland with Meg Jones absent due to injury having hit personal best sprint times in training.

“Everything was planned,” Red Roses coach Mitchell said. “We’ve got two world-class 13s, so Helena [Rowland] got a start last week and Emily’s getting the start this week.

“Scaz [Scarratt] is a very humble woman, very professional, goes about it in a very routine manner. She backs herself and she’d be first to acknowledge that she wasn’t in her best shape and carrying a lot of niggles in the Six Nations.

Emily Scarratt will start at Allianz Stadium (PA Archive)

“I’m expecting her to play really well on the weekend, and expecting to see her experience show. Reputation doesn’t mean a lot to me, experience and enthusiasm does.”

The clash brings together the current World No 1 side and the world champions with the Black Ferns visiting England for the first time since 2021.

The Red Roses beat New Zealand last November to secure the inaugural title at WXV, gaining a measure of revenge for their World Cup final defeat at Eden Park a year prior. The two sides will meet again during this year’s WXV in Canada.

Former All Blacks coach Mitchell will be coaching against compatriots and is relishing his first taste of the rivalry on home soil as Red Roses boss.

“The first time I coached against New Zealand was in 1998 against the All Blacks in Dunedin,” Mitchell said. “Back then, it was quite an emotional time for me because I was just out of the country.

Red Roses boss John Mitchell is well used to coaching against his native New Zealand (PA Wire)

“These days, it is just professional sport. England is my home. I haven’t lived in New Zealand for 22 years. I don’t get emotionally caught up in it.

“Every occasion at Allianz Stadium is really important to us and we know we will have to earn the right to contest a final here in 2025. We want to play here on a consistent basis and every time we go out and play here, we want to perform. We want to do it for the girls.”

England will confirm their 30-player squad for WXV on Thursday 19 September.

Red Roses team to play New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (2.30pm BST, Saturday 14 September)

15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 44 caps)

14 Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 46 caps)

13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 112 caps)

12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 23 caps)

11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 39 caps)

10 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 31 caps)

9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 73 caps)

1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 16 caps)

2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)

3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)