England Women At Full Strength For Rugby World Cup Opener Against The Us

England person named a full-strength broadside to unfastened their Rugby World Cup run against nan US connected Friday, pinch Emily Scarratt successful statement to triumph her 119th headdress disconnected nan chair and look astatine her 5th World Cup astatine Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

John Mitchell has named an unchanged XV from nan team’s 40-6 triumph complete France successful their last warmup crippled earlier this month. There are nary wounded concerns for nan world No 1s arsenic they commencement their pursuit of a trophy they are favourites to triumph successful beforehand of a grounds crowd for an opening game, pinch 40,000 tickets sold.

Zoe Aldcroft, nan captain, starts astatine blindside flanker, pinch Sadia Kabeya astatine openside and Alex Matthews astatine No 8. Maddie Feaunati is group to make her first World Cup quality from nan bench, while location is nary room successful nan 23 for nan erstwhile skipper Marlie Packer.

Kelsey Clifford and Emma Sing are besides connected nan chair and will make their first World Cup appearances if introduced.

Ellie Kildunne, nan world subordinate of nan year, starts astatine full-back, pinch Abby Dow, nan 2025 Women’s Six Nations apical effort scorer, and Jess Breach connected nan wings. Saracens’ Zoe Harrison starts astatine fly-half pinch Natasha Hunt alongside her astatine scrum-half. The crippled will beryllium nan Gloucester-Hartpury star’s first Rugby World Cup quality since 2017 aft being near retired of nan England squad astatine nan past tournament.

Mitchell said: “Sunderland person been a awesome big metropolis frankincense acold and we cognize it’ll beryllium a grounds crowd for a Women’s Rugby World Cup opening lucifer which shows nan appetite for rugby successful this region and for nan title ahead. We want to clasp nan juncture whilst knowing we person to stay wherever our feet are and gain nan correct to advancement done nan excavation stage.”

England and nan US are joined successful Pool A by Australia and Samoa, who meet connected Saturday.