Feaunati to start for the Red Roses on second Six Nations weekend

Chiefs back-row Maddie Feaunati has been given the nod for the Red Roses’ Guinness Women’s Six Nations game against Sean Lynn’s Wales.

Head coach John Mitchell would have had a hard time leaving her out after her Player of the Match performance at No 8 last weekend. She will start Saturday’s game amid 13 changes from the team that defeated Italy in the opening round.

Exeter Chiefs Women’s assistant coach Steve Salvin said: “Maddie had a great game against Italy. She is such a mobile and powerful player, and these attributes were clear to see from her first start at No 8 for the Red Roses. She more than deserves her second start of this Six Nations campaign.”

Of the starting XV, Feaunati is the least experienced with 11 caps while Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunter leading the way with 76. Full-back Ellie Kildunne will collect her 50^th cap this weekend.

Wales v England v Italy will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff at 16:45. It is also being broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Red Roses

15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 49 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 48 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 26 caps)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 43 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 54 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 76 caps)
1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 21 caps)
2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 67 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 18 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 70 caps)
6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 59 caps) - captain
7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 19 caps)
8 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)

Replacements

16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 80 caps)
17 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 36 caps)
19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 20 caps)
20 Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, uncapped)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 27 caps)
22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 36 caps)
23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 35 caps)