Ladies’s Six Nations: England’s captain Marlie Packer set to obtain her one hundredth cap in opposition to Italy | Rugby Union Information

Purple Roses captain Marlie Packer says she is just not centered on reaching the 100 cap milestone forward of England’s opening Ladies’s Six Nations match in opposition to Italy on Sunday.

Packer, who’s in line to turn into a Check centurion within the recreation, made her England debut in 2008 and has performed for her nation for 16 years. She has represented Bathtub, Wasps and Bristol earlier than her transfer to present membership Saracens in 2017.

England wish to obtain a sixth Six Nations title in a row, and third Grand Slam in succession.

“I strive not to consider receiving my one hundredth cap an excessive amount of. I simply wish to get on the market and play now,” Packer mentioned chatting with Sky Sports activities.

“Everytime you get the chance to placed on this shirt, you wish to make it a really particular one and ensure you go away it in the very best place.

“That’s the best way I see it, I wish to begin the event and it doesn’t matter the place I get my one hundredth cap.”

This will probably be John Mitchell’s first Six Nations accountable for the Purple Roses after Simon Middleton concluded his eight-year reign final yr.

New Zealander Mitchell served as defence coach for the boys’s group underneath Eddie Jones between 2018 and 2021.

Uncapped Exeter Chiefs duo Maddie Feaunati and Lizzie Hanlon have been referred to as up as Zoe Harrison, Emily Scarratt and Abbie Ward all return. It’s the primary time the trio will function in a Purple Roses event squad because the 2022 Rugby World Cup last.

The squad is made up of 19 forwards and 16 backs, with a mixed complete of 1,109 Check caps.

“Going into the WXV event we modified the best way we wished to play and I believe you’ll get to see just a little bit extra sparkle from the Purple Roses this Six Nations,” Packer mentioned.

“Mitchell made us take into consideration what we’re doing, made us see issues in a different way and simply posed questions that we haven’t fairly had earlier than.

“We will carry tempo however then additionally management the tempo. The best way we performed was quite a bit off the 9 and that may look just a little bit totally different.

“It’s simply going to be much more thrilling I believe. I don’t assume we’re going to see a lot boot to ball from England that we would have accomplished beforehand.

Tighthead prop Sarah Bern and scrum-half Claudia MacDonald are two of England’s largest names however will miss the whole thing of the competitors by way of damage.

Malcolm: Scotland’s squad ‘strongest’ I have been a part of

Scotland gained two video games in final yr’s Six Nations to complete in fourth place. Their captain Rachel Malcolm hopes the group will be capable to carry out extra constantly all through this yr’s event.

“We have a fairly thrilling squad, it is a combination of younger expertise and skilled outdated gamers like myself so we’re in a very good place,” Malcolm mentioned.

“If I distinction it to final yr, we had been most likely not in a superb place. It was not our greatest efficiency whereas now I believe we have had most likely one among our greatest years in a really very long time and gained our first trophy in 21 years.

“We have additionally acquired six wins in a row so I believe we’re going out with just a little little bit of momentum and we have most likely acquired the strongest squad that I’ve seen in my time as a part of the Scotland squad.

“We simply wish to exit and carry out to the perfect of our capacity and our potential.”

Head coach Bryan Easson named seven uncapped gamers in Scotland ladies’s coaching squad for the Six Nations final month.

Jones: Wales assured after ending in prime three final yr

Wales completed in third place final yr, beating Eire, Scotland and Italy.

“If we glance again on final yr, we made it to the highest three and clearly it provides you a little bit of confidence so now we’re simply specializing in the method and arduous work forward and hopefully the outcomes comply with,” mentioned Wales captain Hannah Jones.

“We’re taking every recreation because it comes and constructing that momentum. We’re very bold and wish to win each recreation.

“That prime three place we all know as gamers is essential with World Cup qualification and the WXV event you wish to play prime flight of rugby so we’re undoubtedly working arduous to get close to that.

“Scotland are at all times a bodily battle. They’re at all times enjoyable to play in opposition to. We’re trying ahead to that and the Cardiff followers in a house recreation.

“England have gotten a powerful pack and an amazing backline, we play with the gamers week in week out within the Premiership.

“It is going to be difficult going from membership into worldwide duties however we’re trying ahead to play in opposition to them in a Welsh jersey.”

Purple Roses’ 2024 Ladies’s Six Nations Squad

Forwards (19)

• Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 48 caps)
• Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 54 caps)
• Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 34 caps)
• Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 42 caps)
• Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 10 caps)
• Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 65 caps)
• Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 3 caps)
• Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 72 caps)
• Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
• Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 14 caps)
• Lizzie Hanlon (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
• Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 13 caps)
• Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 62 caps)
• Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 25 caps)
• Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 30 caps)
• Marlie Packer (Saracens, 99 caps)
• Connie Powell (Harlequins, 14 caps)
• Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 11 caps)
• Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)

Backs (16)

• Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 25 caps)
• Sophie Bridger (Saracens, 2 caps)
• Jess Breach (Saracens, 33 caps)
• Abby Dow (Trailfinders Ladies, 40 caps)
• Sydney Gregson (Saracens, 3 caps)
• Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 46 caps)
• Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 18 caps)
• Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 67 caps)
• Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps)
• Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 38 caps)
• Vicky Laflin (Trailfinders Ladies, uncapped)
• Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 16 caps)
• Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 28 caps)
• Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 108 caps)
• Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 6 caps)
• Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, 6 caps)

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