England injuries give nine uncapped players Women’s Six Nations chance

The Rugby Football Union are still searching for a successor to England Women’s head coach, Simon Middleton. Photograph: Phil Walter/The RFU Collection/Getty Images

England have named nine uncapped players and recalled the experienced Natasha “Mo” Hunt to their reshuffled squad for the forthcoming Women’s Six Nations. Injuries and unavailability have ruled out several members of last year’s World Cup squad, forcing the Red Roses head coach, Simon Middleton, to cast his selectorial net slightly wider.

The 33-year-old Hunt, who missed the World Cup, has been the form scrum-half in this season’s Premier 15s and is now back involved alongside Sarah Beckett, Amber Reed and Poppy Cleall. A serious knee injury has ruled out the fly-half Zoe Harrison, however, while the centre Emily Scarratt is out with neck and ankle problems and the experienced lock Abbie Ward is pregnant.