England’s ‘selection headaches’ for Grand Slam decider

England’s 59-7 thrashing of Scotland in Leicester set up a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam-decider with France at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday.

The Red Roses are chasing a fourth successive Grand Slam and a seventh Six Nations title in a row.

Head coach John Mitchell has used 34 players this campaign as he seeks to build “two teams” before a home Rugby World Cup that starts in August.

Competition for places is now as competitive as ever, with Mitchell saying he has some “selection headaches” to make.

Usually a head coach sticks with his main starting fly-half and builds the rest of the team accordingly.

But that has not been the case with Mitchell this Six Nations – the New Zealander has used three different fly-halves across four games.

Utility back Helena Rowland started the opening-round win over Italy, with Saracens’ Zoe Harrison starting the back-to-back victories over Wales and Ireland.

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Harrison’s tactical kicking has been praised by Mitchell, who previously favoured Aitchison’s running game.

But Aitchison showed improvement in her kicking game on Saturday, summed up by a well-weighted nudge in-behind Scotland’s defence during the first half, to show the England coaches that she can also control a game like Harrison.

Seven out of nine conversions also indicated improvement from the kicking tee – an area the Bristol Bears fly-half struggled with last Six Nations.

“Holly has put that [goal-kicking issue] to bed and ticked the box that says ‘you can’t pick me because I can’t do that’, which is all you can do as a player,” former England fly-half Katy Daley-McLean told BBC’S Rugby Union Weekly.

The contest over who will partner the chosen fly-half is also heating up.

Natasha Hunt has been Mitchell’s go-to starting scrum-half during his tenure, but after a slow start against Ireland, when England led only 7-5 at half-time in Cork, replacement scrum-half Lucy Packer helped speed up the game in a much-improved second-half performance that ended 49-5 in England’s favour.

Packer was rewarded with a start against Scotland and again showed her fast service as England scored 42 first-half points.

Captain Zoe Aldcroft has moved from lock to blind-side flanker this campaign and is the only Red Roses player to start every game.

Regular number eight and 2014 World Cup-winner Alex Matthews was suspended for the opening two games, which opened the door for Maddie Feaunati to pick up the player of the match in the opening round, before scoring two tries in Cardiff.

Another powerful display against Scotland by the 22-year-old Exeter Chief means Mitchell now has to decide between form and experience.

Matthews, 31, picked up player of the match in last year’s Grand Slam decider in Bordeaux, and has been Mitchell’s reliable big-game player, drawing on her 74 caps of experience.

Former England captain Marlie Packer grabbed her 50th England try on Saturday in her 110th cap in a gentle reminder of her importance at open-side flanker.

Despite losing the captaincy to Aldcroft in January, the 35-year-old featured against Italy and Scotland this campaign and will hope the experience of captaining England to their past two Grand Slams will go in her favour.

When England won their third Grand Slam in a row last year, their settled back three of Jess Breach, Abby Dow and Ellie Kildunne scored a combined 18 tries.

Wing Breach suffered a long-term hip injury in November, ruling the 27-year-old out until February.

While Dow and Kildunne have continued their scintillating form of last year, with a combined eight tries this championship, Breach, who has looked dangerous on her return, has yet to score this campaign.

Exeter Chiefs’ Claudia MacDonald returned to the Red Roses after missing last year’s Six Nations following a second neck injury, and backed up her try-scoring return against Italy in round one with two tries and a player-of-the-match performance against Scotland.

The 29-year-old, who played in the World Cup final defeat by New Zealand in 2022, has impressed with her high work-rate, sharp footwork and balanced running style.

Gloucester-Hartpury wing Mia Venner saw her fine Premiership Women’s Rugby form rewarded in round one, but despite scoring and looking dangerous on the ball, the 22-year-old has not been seen since.

Asked for her England starters in the jerseys seven to 10 for the game against France, Daley-McLean told Rugby Union Weekly: “John Mitchell will look at it as a tactical game and not just pick on just form alone. It will be what he wants this England team to play like to beat France.