England’s ‘superstars’ return for Cardiff challenge

Wales vs. England at the Women’s Six Nations

Cardiff Principality Stadium Date: Saturday, March 29 Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

The alphabet has 25 more letters if plan A is ineffective.

England’s Women’s Six Nations campaign kicked off with a bonus-point victory over Italy on Sunday in York, extending the Red Roses’ winning streak to 21 games.

Their goal of capturing a seventh successive Six Nations title and fourth Grand Slam in a row started well despite a weak second half that only allowed full-back Emma Sing to score five points in.

Mitchell’s starting XV against Italy appeared to be the weaker of the “two teams” he is attempting to build up ahead of a home Rugby World Cup in August.

His alternative plan was still in place, and notes about freshmen’s faces could be stowed away in his pocket with a different strategy in round two.

Because over 20 000 tickets have been sold so far for Saturday’s Wales game at Principality Stadium, which is the highest number of Welsh women’s team events in Wales, he will need his reliable first team players.

Mitchell has made 13 changes to his starting lineup, with the majority of his team, who made significant contributions to the Six Nations and World Cup victories last year, returning.

Exact scenario building can be challenging during a World Cup year, but with a strong Cardiff atmosphere in the air, situations can arise that are slightly off-the-wall.

England’s record 30-Test winning streak came to an end with a 2022 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand under former head coach Simon Middleton when it was most important.

More than just relentless winning is required in preparation because of the unique nature of a World Cup.

England forwards coach Louis Deacon, who is still with that coaching group, told BBC Sport, “We had multiple plans in 2022], probably just plans A and B. Now we have plans A, B, C, and D.”

Given that England have won 20 of their previous 22 Six Nations matches against Wales, it seems likely that they will be able to match their average winning margin (over the last eight championship victories) of 46 points.

Ellie Kildunne, the world’s top player, won her 50th cap with a pair of tries against Wales last year, winning with a score of 46-10.

Wings Abby Dow and Jess Breach, who are both 25 years old full-backs, are prepared to defeat their 18 combined tries in the championship last year.

In a star-studded backline that includes regulars Meg Jones and Tatyana Heard, Zoe Harrison has the opportunity to make her case known as the starting fly-half.

In addition to Morwenna Talling and Abbie Ward, 22-year-old Morwenna Talling and Abbie Ward form a balanced second-row partnership that brings work-rate and line-out nous, Sarah Bern, who was at her barnstorming best off the bench in York, returns to the scene.

Former Wales player Philippa Tuttiett stated to BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly, “That is the calibre we are talking about.” “You could field two completely different 23s and both could win the Six Nations,” Tuttiett said.

“That team is incredible, with some superstars all around.”

Olympian Abi Burton, who nearly lost her life in 2022, will start from the bench in her England debut.

After being diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, the 25-year-old back row spent 25 days in an artificial coma. This is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain.

She lost more than three stone and was unable to walk or talk when Burton escaped her coma, but miraculously she made it back to rugby sevens in time for her second Olympics in Paris.

England center Jones claimed that Burton, who had been in a coma for a while, “manifested” playing for the Red Roses, and that the back rower has grown impressed since returning to the XVs with the Trailfinders.

I feel like I am flourishing as a person both on and off the pitch because I’ve been ill and have returned to rugby for the Paris Olympics and the XVs, Burton said.

My family loves to witness my face-turning enjoyment after I finally see myself playing rugby like I will never play again.

Replacements: Metcalfe, K. Jones, Davies, Rose, Pyrs, King, Davies, Keight, and Rose.

England: Kildunne, Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach, Harrison, Hunt, Carson, Bern, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Kabeya, Feaunati.

Cokayne, Botterman, Muir, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland, and their replacements.