Kildunne shifts to wing and Burton to play at lock as England ring changes
TL;DR
Ellie Kildunne will play on the wing for the first time in the Six Nations as England makes significant lineup changes against Scotland. Zoe Harrison returns as fly-half, and Abi Burton shifts to lock due to injuries in the squad.
Key points
- Ellie Kildunne starts on the wing for the first time in Six Nations.
- Zoe Harrison returns as fly-half after last year's World Cup.
- Abi Burton shifts to lock due to injuries in the squad.
Mentioned in this story
Ellie Kildunne has been named on the wing, rather than in her regular full-back role, as part of a much-changed England line-up to face Scotland in the Women's Six Nations on Saturday.
It is the first time the 26-year-old has started on the wing in the Six Nations.
Elsewhere Zoe Harrison, first-choice fly-half through last year's victorious Rugby World Cup campaign, regains the 10 shirt from Holly Aitchison, while back row Abi Burton is deployed at lock where England's depth has been severely tested.
Locks Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan are all pregnant and absent, while Morwenna Talling has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a leg injury in last weekend's tournament opening win over Ireland.
Bristol's 19-year-old rising star Demelza Short will make her debut in the back row, while Gloucester-Hartpury's Emma Sing, a long-range kicking option, comes in at full-back.
Kildunne's positional switch may give her quicksilver running skills more scope to shine out wide, but she will have to get to grips quickly with the different defensive demands of the role.
Scotland fly-half Helen Nelson, who ranks fourth highest for the number of kicks out of hand in the English top-flight, may well look to exploit space around Kildunne, while Rhona Lloyd, who will line up opposite Kildunne, has scored 11 league tries for Sale so far this season.
Elsewhere prop Maud Muir wins her 50th cap for England as she starts at tighthead in place of Sarah Bern, who is part of a set of replacements which includes 112-cap Marlie Packer and Gloucester-Hartpury's Mia Venner.
England are hunting their eighth successive Women's Six Nations title, but are attempting to maintain their streak without a host of names who helped them to the World Cup last year.
Number eight Alex Matthews will miss the meeting with Scotland with a shoulder injury, while earlier on Thursday it was announced that prop Hannah Botterman had joined those sidelined for the tournament with an ankle injury.
Head coach John Mitchell will hope that the enforced changes will prove the making of a next generation of players, while maintaining the Red Roses' grip on the tournament.
However Scotland, who will play in front of a 25,000-plus crowd at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in the biggest stand-alone women's sporting fixture in their country's history, will be primed to exploit any wobbles.
England: Sing; Breach, Jones (capt), Rowland, Kildunne; Harrison, L Packer; Clifford, Cokayne, Muir, Burton, Ives Campion, Short, Kabeya, Feaunati,
Replacements: Powell, Carson, Bern, Lutui, M Packer, Robinson, Aitchison, Venner
Q&A
Why is Ellie Kildunne playing on the wing instead of full-back?
Kildunne is playing on the wing as part of a much-changed England lineup to address squad depth issues and injuries.
Who are the key players missing from England's lineup against Scotland?
Locks Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, and Rosie Galligan are absent due to pregnancy, and Morwenna Talling is out with a leg injury.
What changes has England made for the Women's Six Nations match against Scotland?
England has made several changes, including Kildunne moving to wing, Harrison returning as fly-half, and Burton playing at lock.
