The latest list of England players does nothing to help us guess the make-up of the team to face Scotland in Edinburgh. John Mitchell has revealed 36 names, 13 more than can be accommodated on field and bench.
It’s six days since the last list was published. 35 players were called up to a three-day training session. The list below shows one addition, Ella Wyrwas returning from injury.
Holly Aitchison, Zoe Aldcroft, Sarah Beckett, Hannah Botterman, Jess Breach, Sophie Bridger, May Campbell, Mackenzie Carson, Poppy Cleall, Kelsey Clifford, Amy Cokayne, Lark Atkin-Davies, Abby Dow, Maddie Feaunati, Rosie Galligan, Sydney Gregson, Lizzie Hanlon, Zoe Harrison, Tatyana Heard, Mo Hunt, Megan Jones, Sadia Kabeya, Ellie Kildunne, Vicky Laflin, Alex Matthews, Maud Muir, Cath O’Donnell, Morwenna Talling, Lucy Packer, Marlie Packer, Connie Powell, Emily Scarratt, Emma Sing, Mia Venner, Ella Wyrwas, Abbie Ward
That adds up to 20 forwards and 16 backs. The only names missing we already knew about and regretted: Sarah Bern, Helena Rowland and Claudia MacDonald. By my calculations Sarah Beckett won’t be eligible till the game in France.
The choices imply that the training stints were intended less to sift the talent than to check that players returning from injury and short of game-time were up to the mark.
Mitchell’s long-term strategy is key. Is he planning to give everyone a chance before the end of the five-match campaign? If so, he has the problem that only two games remain before the decider against France. Five days before the Scotland match we might have expected to see a slimmed-down list; but no, he is keeping all his options open.
All the newer faces are included, though with the surplus of talent available it’s hard to see how more than a handful may get time of the pitch. Let’s hope the two uncapped players, Lizzie Hanlon and Vicky Laflin, already know how their chances stand.
Once more you could assemble two sides from this selection and still be sure of victory.
