Flo Robinson poised to win first Red Roses cap against Italy

Exeter Chiefs Women’s scrum-half Flo Robinson is in line to make her Red Roses debut having been selected on the bench for England’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations game against Italy this weekend.

The 23-year-old is one of two uncapped players on the bench in the 23 named by the Red Roses head coach John Mitchel today. Jade Shekells from Gloucester-Hartpury is the other.

Robinson came close to getting her first cap off the bench back in 2021, but a floodlight failure resulted in England’s away match against France being abandoned without her stepping foot on the field.

Her older sister and fellow Chief teammate, Emily, is delighted her sibling has been given a second chance: “It is hard to put into words how proud I am of Flo in everything she does. She's the kind of player teammates want to play for, which I think says a lot about her.

“Flo's been one of the best nines in the Premiership since she joined Chiefs at 18, making her debut just days after her 19th birthday. To think she will hopefully make her England debut this Sunday makes us feel immensely proud as a family. We will all be watching her.”

Assistant coach Steve Salvin said: “Flo has been fantastic for us this season. She was involved in every game and was a true leader. She has patiently waited for this opportunity to come around again and everyone at the club thoroughly believes she deserves her chance to get that cap at last.”

Meanwhile, wing Claudia MacDonald will start Sunday’s game. It will be her first outing for the Red Roses since playing against New Zealand in the 2023 WXV 1 tournament. Maddie Feaunati will continue her run in the Res Roses jersey with her first start at No 8.

England v Italy is the last game in the opening round of the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations and kicks off at York’s LNER Community Stadium at 15:00 on Sunday. It is preceded on Saturday by Ireland v France at 13:00 and Scotland v Wales at 16:45. All games are being broadcast on either BBC Two or BBC iPlayer or both.

Red Roses

15 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury)

14 Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury)

13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning)

12 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears)

11 Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)

10 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning)

9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins)

1 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens)

2 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers)

3 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury)

4 Rosie Galligan (Saracens)

5 Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning)

6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury) - captain

7 Marlie Packer (Saracens)

8 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs)

Replacements

16 May Campbell (Saracens)

17 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears)

18 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears)

19 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears,)

20 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning)

21 Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs)

22 Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury)

23 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins)