Red Roses name team to play Black Ferns
Simon Middleton has named his Red Roses team to play the Black Ferns in their opening autumn international on Sunday.
Sarah Hunter captains the Red Roses at number 8 with Holly Aitchison set to make her debut at outside centre.
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Amber Reed has been named vice-captain for the autumn and she starts at inside centre. Zoe Harrison is at fly half and Claudia MacDonald at scrum half.
Saracens’ Hannah Botterman starts at loose head prop with Lark Davies and Sarah Bern making up the front row.
Lydia Thompson, who scored a dramatic last-gasp winning try against France on England’s last visit to Sandy Park in November 2019 is at right wing while Abby Dow is on the left wing. Harlequins’ Ellie Kildunne features at full-back.
Fresh from Bristol Bears’ impressive start to the Allianz Premier 15s season, lock Abbie Ward is in the second row and Poppy Cleall plays at lock, a position she occupied for the majority of the Grand Slam-winning 2020 Six Nations campaign.
Gloucester-Hartpury’s Zoe Aldcroft is at blindside flanker while West Country-born
Marlie Packer is at openside on her return to her home region.
Maud Muir could earn her first England cap after impressing during camps over the last year and domestically for Wasps as she is named among the finishers.
"We’re really looking forward to the autumn internationals and opening against New Zealand at Sandy Park," said head coach Middleton. "The number one ranked side in the world coming up against the reigning champions is an exciting prospect.
"We’re really starting to see some of our youngsters mature into fine players and this autumn series is a great opportunity for them to stake a claim for the World Cup.
“Holly Aitchison is one such player. She has been playing extremely well at Saracens and has trained outstandingly since coming into the programme. Similarly it’s great to see the quality we have developing in key positions like the half backs. We have a raft of young scrum halves starting to surface and they will unquestionably challenge our current crop. It’s not only great but essential to see the quality we have surfacing at fly half with Zoe Harrison and Helena Rowland continuing to develop as fine players, decision makers and tactical leaders of the team.
“New Zealand haven’t played a lot of international rugby over the last couple of years and it’s great to have the world champions back on the international stage and especially great for us to be first up for their return.
“Matches at Sandy Park are always memorable occasions with the support of the local Devon public invaluable and this one will be no different.”
