Red Roses Name Seven Uncapped Players for Six Nations
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- John Mitchell named a 38-strong Red Roses squad for the Women's Six Nations containing seven uncapped prospects, building on England's September Rugby World Cup triumph.
- Captain Zoe Stratford and Abbie Ward are both pregnant, Emily Scarratt and Abby Dow have retired, and Rosie Galligan is out with a shoulder injury — Mitchell called the pregnancies "a beautiful situation" and said the players "must enjoy that, not put themselves under pressure to return."
- Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women) will captain the side in Stratford's absence, with Amy Cokayne and Alex Matthews named as vice-captains.
- England open their title defence at home to Ireland on 11 April, with more than 67,000 tickets already sold — all but guaranteeing a new tournament record beyond the 58,498 set against France in 2023.
- Uncapped number eight Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning, daughter of former Tonga hooker Aleki) leads the PWR in carries and metres in contact, while Bristol wing Millie David finished joint top of the Premiership Women's Rugby try-scoring charts last season.
- Mitchell signed a contract extension in January committing him through to the 2029 World Cup defence in Australia, which would take his tenure to six years — he called it "an easy decision."
- England's maternity policy entitles players to 26 weeks' fully-paid leave plus funds for children to travel to games, a framework Mitchell framed as "a real fulfilling conversation."
Why it matters: With three World Cup squad members expecting children, two more retired, and seven uncapped players parachuted in, Mitchell is blooding an entirely new generation two years out from the 2027 World Cup — and the 67,000-plus tickets already sold for the Ireland opener show the commercial ceiling is rising in lockstep with the on-field rebuild.
