England U18 Women side to play France U18
Head coach James Cooper has named his squad to play France in their final match at Wellington College on Saturday.
The match is the last of the U18 Women’s Six Nations Festival, and sees the tournament’s two undefeated sides meet for 70 minutes.
- Admission to the festival is free
- Kick off at Wellington College 16:30
Sophie McQueen will captain England from open-side flanker, where she’ll be joined in the back row by Lucy Finch (blind-side flanker) and Annabel Meta (No. 8). Lucy Calladine has been named at hooker, and Hannah Sams and Amelia Williams are the starting props. Josie Plant and Bridgett Campbell will pack behind them.
Millie Hyett and Amelia MacDougall will wear the 10 and 12 shirts respectively, playing outside scrum half Evie Haskell. Sarah Parry will line up at outside centre with Connie Clarke and Daisy Aspinall on the wings, while Lauren Bailey has been named at full back. Lucy Simpson, Lucy Ward, Ala Lutui, Ellie Wood, Anna Richardson, Fran Clarke, Ella Cromack and Millie David are the replacements.
"I’m proud of the way the girls have played every time they’ve worn the rose throughout the Six Nations Festival," said Cooper. "While we’ve selected a side to face France in our final fixture that we think gives us the best chance to win, this has been a whole of squad effort that’s got us to this point in the tournament, and we could’ve confidently chosen any one of them to pull on England jersey tomorrow.
"France played with flair in their wins over Scotland and Wales on Tuesday, and against Ireland and Italy before that. We know we’ll have to play hard tomorrow to match their strength, but our girls have prepared well throughout the week off the back of our own pleasing performances.
"Over the course of the last week, the players have grown immensely on and off the field in a high-performance international environment. Their development as individuals and as a team has seen them represent their clubs, colleges and schools, academies, Centres of Excellence, families and country well.
"This final match to close out the tournament is a wonderful opportunity for the players to run out onto the pitch in front of what we hope will be a big crowd."
Team to play France U18
Starting
15. Lauren Bailey (College or Club: Dings Crusaders, Centre of Excellence: Bristol)
14. Connie Clarke (Preston Grasshoppers, Sale)
13. Sarah Parry (Shrewsbury, Worcester)
12. Amelia MacDougall (Old Albanians, Saracens)
11. Daisy Aspinall (Burton, Gloucester Hartpury)
10. Millie Hyett (Hartpury College, Gloucester Hartpury)
9. Evie Haskell (Mansfield, Loughborough)
1. Amelia Williams (Medway, Gloucester Hartpury)
2. Lucy Calladine (Burton, Worcester)
3. Hannah Sams (Ivybridge, Exeter)
4. Josie Plant (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter)
5. Bridget Campbell (Sandal, Yorkshire)
6. Lucy Finch (Henley College, Harlequins)
7. Sophie McQueen (C; Hartpury College, Gloucester Hartpury)
8. Annabel Meta (Wimbledon, Harlequins)
Replacements
16. Lucy Simpson (Hartpury College, Gloucester Hartpury)
17. Lucy Ward (Exeter College, Exeter)
18. Haineala Lutui (Worcester, Worcester)
19. Ellie Wood (Sidmouth, Exeter)
20. Anna Richardson (Tynedale, North East and Cumbria)
21. Fran Clarke (SGS Filton College, Bristol)
22. Ella Cromack (Reading, Wasps)
23. Millie David (Reading, Wasps)
