Ellie Kildunne, the 2024 World Rugby player of the year, has again been named on the bench for England's match against the United States in New Jersey. This marks the second consecutive fixture where the full-back, who has 67 caps for the Red Roses, has not been in the starting lineup.
Despite the team's 31-22 loss to Canada last Saturday, head coach John Mitchell has opted to keep Emma Sing in the full-back position. Mitchell had previously stated that Kildunne needed to demonstrate greater consistency in her play.
The Red Roses squad sees six alterations for the upcoming game. Four changes have been made to the backline, with Tatyana Heard, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, Flo Robinson, and Holly Aitchison earning their first starts of the tour. In the forwards, Mackenzie Carson and Maud Muir are set to replace Hannah Botterman and Sarah Bern.
"Our intent is to start this next phase strongly against the USA, with six months until our next Test in the Women's Six Nations," Mitchell stated. "We're rotating some positions this week to refresh the group, create opportunities and continue building our depth."
Mitchell emphasized that player selection is determined by the team's needs for the specific match against the USA, the behaviors the team values, and the performance they are preparing to deliver. He added, "Everyone has a role, and everyone is accountable for our standards."