Aitchison Set for 50th England Cap as Hunt Returns for WXV Opener

Holly Aitchison will earn her 50th England cap after being selected at fly-half for the Red Roses' WXV Global Series opener against Australia in Manchester on Saturday. BBC Sport reported that head coach John Mitchell made five changes from the team that most recently beat France in Bordeaux.

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The 28-year-old Aitchison made her England debut in a victory over New Zealand in 2021 and has scored 113 points across the past five years. She started two matches during England's Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this year, although Zoe Harrison has generally been Mitchell's choice at fly-half for the team's biggest fixtures. Harrison is named among the replacements for Saturday.

Scrum-half Natasha Hunt returns after a knee ligament injury kept her out following the win over Ireland in April. Centre Tatyana Heard is also back, making her first Test appearance of the year after recovering from a foot injury. Mia Venner, who finished joint top of the Premiership Women's Rugby try-scoring standings last season, comes into the side on the wing.

There is also a first Test start for May Campbell, whose previous five England appearances all came from the bench. Campbell starts at hooker with England short of options in that position: Amy Cokayne is unavailable through injury, Connie Powell is recovering from ankle surgery and Lark Atkin-Davies is on maternity leave after having a daughter in June.

Those absences create an opportunity for Saracens hooker Bryony Field, who is set to make her senior England debut from the bench. Hannah Botterman, who has not appeared since England's 2025 World Cup final victory, and Morwenna Talling are also in line to return from injury as replacements.

Australia selected uncapped 20-year-old Amelia Whitaker on the wing and named 19-year-old Caitlyn Halse at full-back. England have won all eight previous meetings between the teams, including a 47-7 victory in the pool stage of last year's World Cup. After the Australia match, England are due to face Canada at Exeter's Sandy Park next weekend and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on 26 September before the series moves to North America in October.