Red Roses: Sing one of six new faces to face Emma Italy

England brought in Emma Singh at full-back and switched Ellie Kildoon to the wing as coach John Mitchell bolstered his back three for the fourth successive Women’s Six Nations.

Singh’s Gloucester-Hartpury team-mate Mia Vener won a third Coppa on the wing to complete a new-look combination to face Italy in Parma on Saturday.

Kildunne scored two tries against Scotland in her first Women’s Six Nations start on the wing last month.

Sadia Kabeya injured her shoulder and pectoral muscle in the win over Wales, forcing changes to the pack, while number eight Alex Matthews has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Their absence means six of the starting XI for September’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada are out through injury or pregnancy.

Cabea’s absence saw Bristol teenager Demelza Short make her Test debut in Scotland’s second row, starting at blindside.

Heidi Head, the Trailfinders’ 22-year-old Australian-raised back-row, made her debut off the bench for the Red Roses.

Madam Short’s club-mate Delaney Burns continues in the second row, while Kelsey Clifford and Maude Muir start in the front row, with Mitchell rotating the prop.

The changes between the fly-halves continue with Zoe Harrison returning in place of Holly Aitchison.

Italy lost their opening two games of the tournament to France and Ireland, but were emphatically impressive. Scotland won 41-14 In their last game before the mid-season break week.

Le Azur have lost their matches between 2022 and 2025 by 74, 63, 48 and 33 points respectively, coming close to England in their most recent Women’s Six Nations match.

However, with home advantage and England’s lack of first-choice stars, it would be a shock if they could upset the all-conquering Red Roses with 36 wins and a draw in the final against France.

England: sing Venner, Jones (c), Rowland, Kildunne; Harrison, L. Packer; Clifford, Cockayne, Muir, Burton, Burns, Short, M. Packer, Fewanati

ReplacementsPowell, Carson, Byrne, Luthuy, Head, Robinson, Aitchison, Moloney-McDonald.