Sing replaces injured Kildunne for Grand Slam game

England vs. France at the Guinness Women’s Six Nations

Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, April 26 Kick-off: 16:45 BST

For England’s Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France on Saturday, Gloucester-Hartpury’s Emma Sing will start at full-back in the absence of Ellie Kildunne, who is recovering from an injury.

Kildunne, the world player of the year, has a minor hamstring injury that has forced him to miss the game at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.

Sing’s only previous Six Nations appearance was in York’s opening-round victory over Italy, where the 24-year-old scored 11 points.

Kildunne could play, but England’s head coach John Mitchell remarked, “We want to get her hamstring right.”

“We don’t want to lose Ellie because we can back our squad,” he said.

There shouldn’t be any issues with Ellie returning to it in June [World Cup preparation].

England are chasing a 15th win in a row over France to claim their seventh Six Nations title. Mitchell’s nation is winning 24 games in a row.

Holly Aitchison, who started England’s victory over France in Bordeaux last year, won the Red Roses’ third successive Grand Slam, is given the nod at fly-half.

Lucy Packer, who impressed from the beginning in the hammering of Scotland last Saturday, is named on the bench while Scrum-half Natasha Hunt returns to the starting XV to play alongside Harrison.

Maddie Feaunati, the 2014 World Cup winner, will start for the Exeter Chiefs as an open-side flanker, with Alex Matthews, who won the first England starting position, slipping to eighth place.

Only one Red Roses player has started every game this campaign, Captain Zoe Aldcroft, who has been given the nickname “blind-side flanker.”

Mitchell continued, “Selection is based on tactical picks and the girls that have been more consistent in the skill sets we require on the weekend.

Regular starter Jessica Breach misses out because Claudia MacDonald’s start on the left gives her the honor of her player-of-the-match performance in the Exeter Chiefs victory over Scotland.

Helena Rowland is named in the 23 jersey while hooker Amy Cokayne returns from a pectoral injury that prevented her from playing for Scotland in Leicester.

Emily Scarratt, a 35-year-old World Cup-winning center, will miss out on the matchday squad after coming off the bench in last year’s victory in Bordeaux.

Although Lock Rosie Galligan is chosen to play, she may still be unable to play due to a cut to her knee that was managed and sustained during training.

Lea Champon starts for the first time in this championship, and Charlotte Escudero makes a second change in the back row as France, who last defeated England in 2018, and Charlotte Escudero makes a second change.

Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Carla Arbez, who have been working together since 2004, have made a second half-back appearance, Kelly Arbey is starting on the left, Joanna Grisez, who has also been retained on the opposite side, after scoring in Parma’s comeback victory last Saturday.

Taina Maka, 20, who enjoys flanker and second row, has a potential debut.

Cokayne, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland, and others.

France: Bourgeois, Grisez, Menager, Vernier, Arbwy, Arbez, Bourdon, Brosseau, Bigot, Khalfaoui, M Feleu (capt), Fall-Raclot, Escudero, Champon, T Feleu.