Seven uncapped players in new-era Red Roses squad
· BBC SportBy
Mike Henson
BBC Sport rugby union news reporter
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England's 38-strong Women's Six Nations squad contains seven uncapped prospects as head coach John Mitchell builds on September's Rugby World Cup win.
Mitchell is missing a host of names from his run to the world title, with usual skipper Zoe Stratford and Abbie Ward both pregnant and Emily Scarratt and Abby Dow having retired from playing.
Bristol wing Millie David, who finished joint top of the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) try-scoring charts last season and is the highest-ranked English-qualified back in those standings this campaign, is one of those in the squad awaiting their first cap.
Gloucester-Hartpury's Mia Venner and Loughborough Lightning's Bo Westcombe-Evans, both with two previous appearances for England, are other inexperienced wing options.
With Rosie Galligan absent after suffering a shoulder injury at the end of last year, Cath O'Donnell missing for personal reasons and Stratford and Ward unavailable, Mitchell has promoted Bristol duo Demelza Short and Christiana Balogun, both of whom also can play in the back row, and Saracens' Jodie Verghese to fill out his second-row stocks.
Lilli Ives Campion, who had limited game time at the Rugby World Cup, is most likely to step up to partner Morwenna Talling at lock.
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Loughborough Lightning number eight Haineala Lutui, daughter of former Tonga, Worcester and Gloucester hooker Aleki, is rewarded for her fine form.
Despite Loughborough's indifferent season, Lutui leads the PWR standings in carries and metres in contact.
Trailfinders Annabel Meta is included after switching to loosehead prop from the back row this season. The 20-year-old only made her front-line front-row debut in December.
Harlequins' exciting Welsh-born centre Sarah Parry completes the uncapped septet.
England begin their Women's Six Nations defence at home to Ireland on 11 April - a game for which more than 67,000 tickets have already been sold, all but guaranteeing an improvement on the existing tournament record crowd of 58,498 set against France in 2023.
'Those girls will make great mums'
With hooker Lark Atkin-Davies being the third member of the Rugby World Cup squad expecting a child, Mitchell said he had been getting used to happier reasons for long-term player absence than he is used to from men's rugby set-ups.
"It's a real fulfilling conversation," Mitchell told BBC Sport. "It's a beautiful, beautiful situation and all of those girls will make great mums."
Mitchell said he had no pre-conceived ideas about when Stratford, Ward and Atkin-Davies might return to action.
"They are driven to return, but motherhood has its ways as well. They must enjoy that, not put themselves under pressure to return.
"For us, it presents an opportunity for somebody else. Should all factors work, then we all come back together at some point in two years' time and we will be better for motherhood and players getting Test minutes that they wouldn't possibly normally get."
Mitchell signed a contract extension with the Red Roses in January, committing him to the team through to the end of their Rugby World Cup title defence in Australia in 2029.
Presuming he sees out the terms of his deal, it will take his time in charge of the team to six years.
"It was an easy decision," said Mitchell.
"I really enjoy the responsibility and the movement that these girls are the flagship for women's rugby, and potentially women's sports.
"All those factors to me align nicely and why give up the three years of knowledge that I started?
"The Six Nations is hugely important to us, and we know success in this competition has to be earned every time.
"We're excited by the energy the younger players will bring into the squad, and alongside our experienced players.
"It's just down to who is going to take the handbrake off, attack it, and expresses themselves in our game."
While centre Jade Shekells and scrum-half Ella Wyrwas are left out of Mitchell's initial selection with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, both might yet make a return before the end of the tournament.
England squad for Women's Six Nations
Forwards: Christiana Balogun (Bristol Bears), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), May Campbell (Saracens), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, vice captain), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), Liz Hanlon (Harlequins), Daisy Hibbert-Jones (Loughborough Lightning), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, vice captain), Annabel Meta (Trailfinders Women), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Connie Powell (Harlequins), Demelza Short (Bristol Bears), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Jodie Verghese (Saracens)
Backs: Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks), Jess Breach (Saracens), Millie David (Bristol Bears), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, captain), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Sarah Parry (Harlequins), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury), Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughborough Lightning)