Holly Aitchison will start at fly half for England against Ireland as the Red Roses return to action for the first time since winning the Rugby World Cup in September.
Aitchison will steer John Mitchell’s side as they revisit the scene of their final triumph, with a close-to-capacity crowd expected for their Women’s Six Nations opener at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
The versatile Helena Rowland partners new captain Meg Jones in the centres after injury to Tatyana Heard, while Claudia Moloney-MacDonald is the beneficiary of Abby Dow’s retirement – with the Exeter wing set to face her wife, Ireland hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald.
22-year-old lock Lilli Ives Campion is set for a major opportunity in the absence of pregnant trio Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan from the second row.
Among the replacements is a possible debutant in Haineala Lutui. The daughter of former Tonga international Aleki Lutui, the 19-year-old Loughborough Lightning forward has been the top carrier in Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) this season.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to be returning to Allianz Stadium in front of our fans for the first time since the 2025 Rugby World Cup final,” head coach Mitchell said, with more than 75,000 tickets sold. “We’ve all felt the lasting impact of 2025, and that’s reflected in the incredible ticket sales for Saturday’s match.
“The players relish, and absolutely deserve, the opportunity to perform in front of record crowds, but they also understand the responsibility that comes with that stage.“We know success in this competition is never given; it has to be earned every time. We’ve prepared well as a group, and the players are ready to express themselves fully. We cannot wait to get started.”
Mitchell resists the urge to look too much to the future, with all of his starting side having featured in his World Cup squad. A start for Aitchison ahead of Zoe Harrison hints, perhaps, at a desire for greater attacking expansion at the start of a new cycle.
There is a return to the fold for hooker Connie Powell with Lark Atkin-Davies another absentee as she awaits the birth of her first child. Powell missed out on the World Cup squad and begins on he bench.
There is no place for veteran flanker Marlie Packer, while centre Emily Scarratt and wing Dow have retired since last year’s tournament.
For Ireland, flanker Erin King returns from injury to captain a relatively settled side named by head coach Scott Bemand.
Dannah O’Brien gets the nod to continue at No 10, while prop Ellena Perry, who previously won 11 caps for England, will make her first Women’s Six Nations appearance for Ireland having switched allegiance last year.
There are two possible debutants on the bench in the form of prop Eilis Cahill and scrum half Katie Whelan. Ireland were beaten 88-10 on their last visit to Twickenham.
England XV to face Ireland at Twickenham (Saturday 11 April, 2.25pm BST): 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Sarah Bern; 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Lilli Ives Campion; 6 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Alex Matthews; 9 Lucy Packer, 10 Holly Aitchison; 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 12 Helena Rowland, 13 Meg Jones (capt.), 14 Jess Breach; 15 Ellie Kildunne.
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Haineala Lutui, 20 Abi Burton; 21 Natasha Hunt, 22 Zoe Harrison, 23 Emma Sing.
Ireland XV: 1 Ellena Perry, 2 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, 3 Linda Djougang; 4 Dorothy Wall, 5 Fiona Tuite; 6 Brittany Hogan, 7 Erin King (capt.), 8 Aoife Wafer; 9 Emily Lane, 10 Dannah O’Brien; 11 Vicky Elmes Kinlan, 12 Eve Higgins, 13 Aoife Dalton, 14 Beibhinn Parsons; 15 Stacey Flood.
Replacements: 16 Neve Jones, 17 Niam O’Dowd, 18 Eilis Cahill, 19 Ruth Campbell, 20 Grace Moore; 21 Katie Whelan, 22 Nancy McGillivray, 23 Anna McGann.
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