Sing replaces injured Kildunne for Grand Slam game
Guinness Women's Six Nations: England v FranceVenue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, 26 April Kick-off: 16:45 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and online, listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, live text and video highlights on the BBC Sport website and app
Gloucester-Hartpury's Emma Sing will start at full-back in the place of injured Ellie Kildunne for England's Women's Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France on Saturday.World player of the year Kildunne has been ruled out of the game at at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham after suffering a minor hamstring injury.Sing's only previous appearance this Six Nations came in the opening-round win over Italy in York, where the 24-year-old scored 11 points."Kildunne could actually play but her hamstring is something we want to get right," England head coach John Mitchell said."We don't want to lose Ellie as a result of stretching it any further and it means we can back our squad."Ellie will be back into it in June [World Cup preparation], there should be no problems there."Mitchell's England are on a 24-game winning streak and are chasing a 15th successive win over France to secure a seventh Six Nations title in a row.Saracens' Zoe Harrison is given the nod at fly-half over Holly Aitchison, who started England's victory over France in Bordeaux last year to clinch the Red Roses' third successive Grand Slam.Scrum-half Natasha Hunt comes back into the starting XV to partner Harrison, with Lucy Packer named on the bench after impressing from the start in the hammering of Scotland last Saturday.Exeter Chiefs' Maddie Feaunati will make her first England start at open-side flanker, with 2014 World Cup-winner Alex Matthews packing down at number eight.Captain Zoe Aldcroft - named at blind-side flanker - is the only Red Roses player to start every game this campaign."Selection is based on tactical picks and the girls that have been more consistent in the tournament in the skillsets that we require on the weekend," Mitchell added."That doesn't mean the other girls are any less good but you just have to go with the strengths within your group and use them when you need them."
Flanker Abi Burton, who scored two tries on her Red Roses debut against Wales in round two, is named on the bench, meaning there is no place for former captain Marlie Packer or Loughborough Lightning's Sadia Kabeya.Exeter Chiefs' Claudia MacDonald is rewarded for her player-of-the-match performance in the victory over Scotland with a start on the left wing, meaning regular starter Jessica Breach misses out.On the bench, Amy Cokayne returns from a pectoral injury that kept her out of the Scotland game in Leicester, while utility back Helena Rowland is named in the 23 jersey.That call means 35-year-old World Cup-winning centre Emily Scarratt, who came off the bench in last year's win in Bordeaux, misses out on the matchday squad.Lock Rosie Galligan is named as a replacement but could still miss the game because of a cut on her knee, which was sustained in training and is being managed.France, who last defeated England in 2018, have made two changes in their back row as open-side flanker Lea Champon comes in for a first start this championship and Charlotte Escudero returns at blind-side flanker.The established half-back duo of Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Carla Arbez again start, while Kelly Arbey returns on the wing, with Joanna Grisez retaining her spot on the opposite side after scoring in the comeback victory over Italy in Parma last Saturday.There is also a potential debut for 20-year-old Taina Maka, who is comfortable in the second row and at flanker.Saturday's match is the fourth successive time both sides play each in the final game with a Grand Slam on the line.
Line-ups
England: Sing; Dow, Jones, Heard, MacDonald; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Feaunati, Matthews.Replacements: Cokayne, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.France: Bourgeois; Grisez, M Menager, Vernier, Arbwy; Arbez, Bourdon; Brosseau, Bigot, Khalfaoui, M Feleu (capt), Fall-Raclot, Escudero, Champon, T Feleu.Replacements: Riffonneau, Mwayembe, Bernadou, Zago, Berthoumieu, Maka, Chambon, Queyroi.
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