Helena Rowland handed fly-half reins as Red Roses begin Women’s Six Nations

The Loughborough playmaker starts at 10 for the first time at international level for three years as England face Italy in York

Helena Rowland starts her first international game at No 10 since 2022 (Getty Images)

Helena Rowland will make her first international start at fly half for three years with John Mitchell naming an intriguing side for England’s Women’s Six Nations opener against Italy.

The Red Roses embark again as strong favourites for a seventh title in a row in a competition they have come to dominate, and begin their campaign in York on Sunday as they gear up for a home World Cup later this year.

Zoe Aldcroft, appointed skipper ahead of this championship, captains the side from blindside flanker, with Lilli Ives Campion handed a first Test start in her stead in the second row.

Rowland, seen largely as a centre by head coach Mitchell, moves inward to take up lead playmaking duties, the role she plays regularly for Loughborough Lightning. Holly Aitchison, who started all bar two games at fly half for England last year, is stationed at inside centre.

Emma Sing and Mia Venner are rewarded for their standout Gloucester-Hartpury form with starts having helped their club complete a Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) three-peat on Sunday.

Joining the pair in the back three is Claudia MacDonald, who has battled back from a second serious neck injury to make her international return.

Two debutants await on the bench, with Exeter scrum half Flo Robinson set for a first cap having been denied an appearance by a floodlight failure in Lille in 2021, and Great Britain Sevens regular Jade Shekells providing centre cover.

Senior players including Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Alex Matthews and Abby Dow are absent from the opening side, with Mitchell intending to look at a variety of combinations and options across the first few weeks of the tournament. There is, though, a start for openside Marlie Packer, who lost the captaincy to Aldcroft in January.

Zoe Aldcroft has been appointed Red Roses captain in a World Cup year (Getty Images)

England have not lost on home soil in this competition for a decade, and will be expected to beat Italy heavily.

Their midfield shake-up is interesting, though, with a World Cup year placing greater emphasis on positional versatility. Aitchison has established herself as England’s first-choice fly half since Mitchell’s arrival with her excellent distribution opening up their attacking expansion, but the dynamic Rowland offers a supreme running threat.

The 25-year-old’s last start for England at the position came against Scotland in 2022 in the same combination with Aitchison and fellow centre Emily Scarratt.

Of intrigue elsewhere is a start for Kelsey Clifford, who can play on either side of the front row, at loosehead, and further evidence of how highly rated Loughborough lock Ives Campion is after the youngster made her debut in the autumn.

England’s squad naming took place at the popular Cabbage Patch pub in Twickenham, which has been renamed “The Red Roses Patch” for the duration of the tournament. Mitchell’s side conclude their campaign against France, their closest rivals, at Allianz Stadium on Saturday 26 March.

Red Roses XV to face Italy in York (Sunday 23 March, 3pm GMT): 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir; 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Rosie Galligan; 6 Zoe Aldcroft (capt.), 7 Marlie Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati; 9 Lucy Packer, 10 Helena Rowland; 11 Claudia MacDonald, 12 Holly Aitchison, 13 Emily Scarratt, 14 Mia Venner; 15 Emma Sing.

Replacements: 16 May Campbell, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Sadia Kabeya; 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Jade Shekells, 23 Ellie Kildunne.