50 up for Ellie Kildunne as England ring the changes vs Wales

Ellie Kildunne will win her 50th England cap against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday as she returns as one of 13 changes to the Red Roses side that beat Italy in the opening round of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Captain Zoe Aldcroft and No.8 Maddie Feaunati – Player of the Match last weekend – are the only players to retain their starting jerseys from the 38-5 victory against the Azzurre as head coach John Mitchell sticks to his pledge to rotate on the road to the World Cup.

Having used the match in York to experiment and test squad depth, Mitchell has reverted to what many would suggest, on paper at least, is closer to his strongest line-up for the trip to the Principality Stadium.

Kildunne, the reigning World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, will line up at full-back in a familiar back three, with Abby Dow and Jess Breach on the wings. That trio scored a combined 31 tries in 2024.

Vice-captain Megan Jones returns at outside centre alongside Tatyana Heard, while Zoe Harrison and Natasha Hunt have been selected to start a Test together at half-back for the first time since September 2022.

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In the forwards, Lark Atkin-Davies returns at hooker with Bristol Bears teammate Sarah Bern at tighthead prop and Mackenzie Carson selected at loosehead.

Morwenna Talling has been drafted in to make her sixth Test start in the second row, alongside Abbie Ward. Aldcroft and Feaunati are joined in the back row by openside flanker Sadia Kabeya.

Meanwhile, Kildunne’s former Great Britain Sevens teammate Abi Burton will become the second Olympian in as many weeks to make their Test debut if called upon from the replacements’ bench.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced on Thursday that more than 18,000 tickets had been sold for Saturday’s match at the Principality Stadium.

Red Roses team to play Wales

15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 49 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 48 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 26 caps)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 43 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 54 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 76 caps)
1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 21 caps)
2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 67 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 18 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 70 caps)
6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 59 caps) – captain
7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 19 caps)
8 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)

Replacements
16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 80 caps)
17 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 36 caps)
19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 20 caps)
20 Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, uncapped)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 27 caps)
22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 36 caps)
23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 35 caps)