The Japan Times - England eye eighth successive Women's Six Nations in World Cup build-up

This year's edition has extra significance as it takes place just months before the August start of the World Cup in England.

For all their European dominance, England have lost the last two World Cup finals to New Zealand -- including an agonising 34-31 defeat in Auckland three years ago in a tournament delayed by Covid-19.

That reverse constitutes England's lone defeat in 51 games.

Dealing with that pressure, for a team who averaged a mammoth 54 points per game during last year's Six Nations, has been a major issue for coach John Mitchell.

The New Zealander, a former head coach of his native men's All Blacks, has tried to create more competition for places since taking charge of England's women in 2023.

He has chosen an experimental side for his team's Six Nations opener at home to Italy in York on Sunday.

Mitchell, 60, has given first starts to lock Lilli Ives Campion and wing Mia Venner in a side where there are only seven survivors from the team that beat Canada 21-12 to finish top of WXV1 -- a tournament designed to strengthen global competition between World Cups -- in October.

He has also made three positional changes, with captain Zoe Aldcroft moving from lock to blindside flanker, Holly Aitchison going from fly-half to inside centre and Helena Rowland taking over at stand-off.

Meanwhile Emma Sing, the full-back who was a member of Gloucester-Hartpury's 'three-peat' Premiership Women's Rugby-winning team, has been selected ahead of World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, the championship's top try-scorer last season.

- 'Exciting mix' -

"We've got to use the competition for places to our advantage," said Mitchell after naming his side to play Italy -- a team England thrashed 48-0 in last year's Six Nations.

"2025 starts with the end (a World Cup final) in mind.

"It's important to realise we'll need two teams to operate this year to play 13 Test matches. We wouldn't call it rotation.

"It's one team operating as two. It would be stupid not to plan with that mind. So we've started with this team against Italy. It has an exciting mix in it," he added.

France, runners-up last year after a 42-21 defeat by England in a Bordeaux title-decider, begin their challenge on Saturday away to an Ireland side that stunned New Zealand 29-27 in their WXV1 match in Vancouver in September.

Scotland face Wales in Edinburgh, with another close encounter expected following the Scots' 20-18 victory last year.

The match will be former Gloucester-Hartpury coach Sean Lynn's first since taking over as Wales boss.

Ioan Cunningham stood down in November following only four wins in 11 Tests in 2024, with the Welsh Rugby Union admitting major failings in how it conducted contract negotiations with its women players.

K.Yamaguchi--JT