England Women head coach Simon Middleton has named his match-day squad for the opening game of the Old Mutual Wealth Series against France at Twickenham Stoop on Wednesday 9 November, KO 7.45pm live on Sky Sports 1.
There are 1,000 senior England caps among the squad named with Worcester Valkyries prop Rochelle Clark looking to come off the bench and gain her 114th cap to equal the England record set by Jason Leonard in 2004.
Olympians Claire Allan (Saracens), Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) and Danielle Waterman (Bristol) are named among the starting line up having recently returned from sevens.
Team GB captain Emily Scarratt misses out due to concussion, along with Amber Reed (Bristol), who has been ruled out of the Series with an ankle injury.
Head Coach Simon Middleton said: “This is a strong squad with a wealth of experience between them.
“France are a side we know well and will be tough. Preparation has gone well and our focus will be on executing the things we have worked on, to stick to our plan and we look forward to getting an exciting Old Mutual Wealth Series underway.”
The two sides have faced each other twice already this year with one win each. France saw off England 17-12 at the Stade de la Rabine, Vannes to deny the Red Roses a Six Nations Grand Slam and clinch the title. A last gasp try in the Women’s Rugby Super Series allowed England to exact revenge in Salt Lake City this summer, running out 17-13 winners to finish second in the series.
Since the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Red Roses have met France four times, with France coming out on top three wins to one.
Wednesday’s Test opens the first-ever sponsored women’s autumn series, with the Red Roses hosting two more home games, against the world’s number one side New Zealand on Saturday 19 November (Twickenham Stoop, KO 12pm) and Canada, ranked second in the world, on Saturday 26 November (Twickenham Stadium, KO 5.05pm). England Women will play an away fixture against Ireland this Sunday at University College Dublin, KO 2pm
England Women v France
15 Danielle Waterman (Bristol, 60 caps)
14 Kay Wilson (Richmond, 36 caps)
13 Claire Allan (Saracens, 32 caps)
12 Rachael Burford (Aylesford Bulls, 56 caps)
11 Fiona Pocock (Aylesford Bulls, 29 caps)
10 Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 77 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Lichfield, 29 caps)
1 Vickii Cornborough (Aylesford Bulls, 17 caps)
2 Amy Cokayne (Lichfield, 16 caps)
3 Laura Keates (Worcester Valkyries, 52 caps)
4 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 94 caps)
5 Emily Braund (Lichfield, 23 caps)
6 Alex Matthews (Richmond, 24 caps)
7 Marlie Packer (Bristol, 36 caps)
8 Sarah Hunter (Bristol, 81 caps) (c)
16 Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens, 51 caps)
17 Rochelle Clark (Worcester Valkyries, 113 caps)
18 Sarah Bern (Bristol, 2 caps)
19 Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield, 34 caps)
20 Izzy Noel-Smith (Bristol, 20 caps)
21 La Toya Mason (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 56 caps)
22 Emily Scott (Saracens, 12 caps)
23 Ceri Large (Worcester Valkyries, 50 caps)
Old Mutual Wealth Series
England v France, Wednesday 9 November
Twickenham Stoop, KO 7.45pm
Tickets available here
Ireland v England, Sunday 13 November*
University College Dublin, KO 2pm
*Not part of Old Mutual Wealth Series
England v New Zealand, Saturday 19 November
Twickenham Stoop, KO 12pm
Tickets available here
England v Canada, Saturday 26 November
Twickenham, KO 5.05pm
FREE entry after the conclusion of the men’s game
Report courtesy of England Rugby
