by England head coach John Mitchell has named three uncapped players in his Red Roses squad for the Women’s Six Nations, including top pick Maddie Fe’aunati.
Fe’aunati arrived in Women’s Rugby Premiership five months ago from New Zealand’s top flight, signing for Exeter Chiefs and making an instant impact with her on-the-ball performances.
The daughter of Samoa and Bath forward Issac Fe’aunati, who was born in Leeds and has a British passport, but courtesy of Ferna Dubh has moved to New Zealand to play in the country’s best women’s division. After turning down a contract with the Black Ferns earlier this year, the 21-year-old has decided to pledge his allegiance to the Red Roses.
The other two uncapped players in the Red Roses’ 35-man squad are Ealing Trailfinders winger Vicky Laflin and Exeter tighthead prop Lizzie Hanlon.
Emily Scarratt is back despite playing just three hours of rugby since recovering from a serious neck injury that sidelined her for 14 months. Also selected was Sydney Gregson, a dynamic center who claimed the first of England’s three caps as a 19-year-old in the 2015 Women’s Six Nations but has not featured for her country since. The 28-year-old has been one of Saracens’ most consistent players since returning from a 13-month layoff due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Mitchell, who officially took over the Red Roses at the end of their WXV-winning campaign late last year, praised the impressive depth of the English women’s game and admitted he could have picked “three sides” for the competition.
Asked if he could recall a time in his coaching career when he had so much depth, Mitchell, who coached the New Zealand team from 2001 to 2003, said: “Probably the All Blacks . Yes. That was the last time I had this opportunity and rugby has changed a lot since then, from the All Blacks, in the men’s game. [Now] they probably don’t have the same depth as I did at that time. I am very grateful to be in the position I am in.”
Bristol Bears lock Abbie Ward, who was among the first to benefit from the RFU’s game-changing maternity policy, also made the cut, targeting her first international game since becoming a mother last summer.
What do we know about Maddie Fe’aunati ‘bolter’?
Despite her debut season with Exeter Chiefs, she is a key inclusion in the England squad. The blind side, who can also act as a No.8, turned down a Black Ferns contract earlier this year.
She spent most of her childhood in England where her father coached, before moving to New Zealand to play in the country’s Aupiki Super Rugby competition for the Poua Hurricanes. Despite not being involved in any of England’s Six Nations training camps, she has been on Mitchell’s radar for some time.
“Maddie is a really talented ball-carrying footballer,” Mitchell said. “She can be a really good line jumper. We have invested in what we believe to be a very well behaved athlete.
“We’re lucky she’s committed to playing for England. She is always looked upon at the Red Roses as something to aspire to. We have been in contact with her family and Exeter about the reasons for her return. In the end we had to make sure we had the right commitment.”
Apart from his impressive displays for Chiefs, his call-up comes with Mitchell’s stated intention to look beyond England’s contract players when it comes to squad selection. “The door is still open to anyone. That will always remain. I’m always looking for bolts,” Mitchell told Telegraph Sport last month.
Where does Emily Scarratt fit into the midfield plans?
Scarratt, an experienced England outside centre, has played just 181 minutes of rugby in the past 14 months after undergoing surgery for a career-threatening neck injury. On Tuesday, Mitchell confirmed that he wanted to use the former World Player of the Year – who he described as a “triple threat” – as a bigger distributor at inside centre.
Scarratt has already played three games in the job at his club, Loughborough Lightning. “She still has challenges to get up to the speed of the game, but if we do that well, the strength and conditioning team can manage that. We see her as twelve,” he said.
So where does Scarratt fit into England’s midfield equation? Scarratt has not featured for England since the 2022 World Cup final. Her passing game and all-round skill set remain one of the strongest in the game, but she faces a battle to replace new midfielder Tatyana Heard -modern-day who has started 10 of England’s last 14 Tests in the centre, from the front. .
Who will take the keys at number 10?
England’s kicking game – and depth in the half – has separated the Red Roses from other nations in recent years. This year is no different. Zoe Harrison is back in the mix after a year away from the international scene, having ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in March last year. Holly Aitchison took on England’s best half as the country’s selection half and spoke of her ambitions to make the shirt herself. She came into the role last year, but there were times when she lacked leadership.
Another viable option could be to drop Helena Rowland, one of the Red Roses’ most versatile backs, into the position. Having previously been used as an outside centre, Rowland has excelled in the halfback role for Loughborough Lightning in the Women’s Rugby Premiership this season, but Mitchell sees her primarily as an outside centre. “She will still play 13, that’s her main role, but she will return to 10 in some of the games,” he declared. “Ultimately, we have three fly halves and they all play in different ways. Helena has the ability to finish a game for us because of her, her attacking ability.”
Who will replace Sarah Bern at tight end?
Bern was ruled out of the competition weeks ago after suffering a season-ending injury. No one can replace the raw speed provided by the Bristol tighthead, who has cemented her status as one of the best props in the women’s game.
With 25 Test caps, Maud Muir is the most experienced of the three tight ends selected, ahead of Kelsey Clifford and Lizzie Hanlon, the latter of whom comes from a diving and gymnastics background. “They have an opportunity to really make the position their own,” Mitchell said. “I’d like to think by the time we get to WXV that Kelsey and Lizzie are looking at Sarah and going, ‘You’re after us’.”
Will Poppy Cleall start after the opening game ban?
There was a question mark over Cleall’s inclusion after she was a surprise omission from England’s 38-man Six Nations training camp last January, before being called up to the squad’s second training camp at the start of March.
Despite receiving a two-match ban for match-damaging conduct in Saracens’ win over Leicester Tigers last week – meaning she will miss England’s March 24 game in Parma – Mitchell insisted he had seen a “change” in the how the No. in force herself in recent weeks.
Her place as a starter in the Red Roses pack is not a foregone conclusion, however, due to how hotly contested the No 8 spot is after the retirement of Sarah Hunter.
England’s highly experienced captain Alex Matthews was deployed in the post throughout England’s victorious campaign on the WXV. Zoe Aldcroft has also worn the No 8 shirt since Hunter stepped down, while Sarah Beckett is another candidate who could step into the role viable given her experience in the position.
But during his 65 England caps, Cleall proved to be one of the most resourceful players in the England pack. Having played green, flanker and even prop for her country, her versatility is in their favour.
