What England’s Women’s Six Nations squad could look like

Simon Middleton will soon name his 38-man Women’s Six Nations squad and the battle for positions is starting to heat up, especially with the Rugby World Cup approaching.

Middleton will only be able to take a 30-man squad to New Zealand this fall. Some players who start on other teams might miss the tournament altogether.

The Women’s Six Nations Tournament, which kicks off on March 26, is the perfect tournament for coaches to experiment with player compositions and positions. But with the quality of the Allianz Premier 15, it will be difficult for Middleton to choose a squad of 38.

In this article on what England’s women’s Six Nations team could look like, we’ll discuss some of the main selection dilemmas and then list the 38 we think will make it.

Let’s start with one of the biggest talking points in English women’s rugby…

The Scarratt Question

Emily Scarratt has been a mainstay for England but hasn’t played since breaking her leg in the first round of the 2021-22 Premier 15s season.

World Rugby understands that she is aiming for a return so that she can feature in the Six Nations. However, Scarratt has yet to return to action for the Loughborough Lightning club. With the tournament five weeks away, the question mark over his competition for the Red Roses still lingers.

So who would replace her on the team? Scarratt was unavailable for the fall campaign and they didn’t seem to miss her. Holly Aitchison stepped into her role for New Zealand’s winning streak with Lagi Tuima also filling in the 13th shirt. The Red Roses extended their unbeaten run and looked incredibly dangerous in the process.

If Scarratt is out for all or part of the Six Nations again, it gives Aitchison and Tuima the chance to start making their way into the team. There’s no doubt that Scarratt will be at the World Cup. But if she takes part in the Six Nations, it could limit the playing time of the other two stars and therefore their window to prove why they should be in New Zealand in September.

And so, while it may be a controversial opinion, if Scarratt is available, why not throw her on the bench? Give young stars a chance and Scarratt will still have international playing time ahead of the World Cup. That’s my answer to Scarratt’s question.

Fluidity of the half-fly

Helena Rowland and Zoe Harrison are the first two to be named at the half butterfly. Everyone has been talking about who will step into the shoes of Katy Daley-Mclean, who retired from international duty in 2020. But the answer to that question is simple: both.

They are capable of playing on the same team, with Rowland and Harrison capable of playing in the middle. The pair also bring something different to the No.10 role with Rowland having more of a running game and Harrison more tactical with his kicks.

Although Harrison is usually on the bench if Rowland is at fly-half, they are both an integral part of the team as they can approach different games in different ways.

It is therefore not necessary to name ten. I know I would feel a lot more confident in the World Cup squad knowing England have all their bases covered with both getting game time in their shirts during these Six Nations.

No 8 and riddle of the harbor master’s office

The No.8 jersey was worn by both Sarah Hunter and Poppy Cleall during the autumn campaign – and they both also captained the team, as did Zoe Aldcroft. The pair can be named in the same formation, with both able to play blind and Cleall also a lock option. But Cleall and Hunter’s favorite position is at No. 8.

It’s hard to decide who should take the shirt because their playing ability isn’t all that’s in question, it’s also the captaincy. Before going deeper, both players are exceptional but they have different qualities which makes the decision difficult.

Cleall, for me, is the best player. She reaches her peak and she rarely has a bad performance for club or country. However, Hunter is the better leader. She can steer the ship if England has been rocked and can make the right decisions at crucial moments. That’s why the Six Nations is the perfect time to experiment.

England’s official captain for the Six Nations is expected to be named Hunter. But Middleton would have to play a combination throughout the tournament to see what works. When Hunter is named to the bench, the captaincy can be given to Cleall or Scarratt (if available).

We can all guess that Hunter and Cleall will be at the World Cup and the Six Nations is the perfect time to find the best combination.

What England’s Women’s Six Nations squad could look like

Attackers

Zoe Aldcroft, Sarah Beckett, Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman, Shaunagh Brown, Bryony Cleall, Poppy Cleall, Amy Cokayne, Vickii Cornborough, Lark Davies, Vicky Fleetwood, Detysha Harper, Sarah Hunter (captain), Sadia Kabeya, Flo Long, Alex Matthews , Maud Muir, Harriet Millar-Mills, Abbie Ward.

Back

Holly Aitchison, Jess Breach, Heather Cowell, Merryn Doidge, Abby Dow, Zoe Harrison, Ellie Green, Leanne Infante, Ellie Kildunne, Claudia MacDonald, Lucy Packer, Amber Reed, Flo Robinson, Helena Rowland, Emily Scarratt, Lydia Thompson, Lagi Tuima , Ella Wyrwas.

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