Marlie Packer will earn her 100th international cap as captain of the side on Sunday. The Saracens back row debuted for her country in 2008 and becomes the seventh woman to achieve the centurion milestone for England.
“Reaching 100 caps for your country is an awesome achievement,” Head Coach John Mitchell said.
“Talking to Marlie about her journey, she has had to overcome adversity since her Test debut in 2008. What has been evident since I first met her is her determination to succeed has been ingrained in her over the past 16 years, helping her achieve she has in the game.
“She epitomises what it is to be a Red Rose.”
Zoe Harrison, Emily Scarratt and Abbie Ward all return to a Red Roses starting XV for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final in November 2022, while Kelsey Clifford is in for her maiden Test start.
Back row Sadia Kabeya and scrum-half Lucy Packer appear in the squad after missing WXV due to injury. Amongst the replacements, Maddie Feaunati could make her Red Roses debut.
Red Roses team to face Italy
15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 38 caps); 14 Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 40 caps); 13 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 28 caps), 12 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 108 caps); 11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 33 caps); 10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 46 caps), 9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 16 caps); 1 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 42 caps), 2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 54 caps), 3 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 3 caps); 4 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 48 caps), 5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 61 caps); 6 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 13 caps), 7 Marlie Packer (Captain - Saracens, 99 caps), 8 Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 34 caps)
Replacements
16 Connie Powell (Harlequins, 14 caps), 17 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 10 caps), 18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 25 caps), 19 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), 20 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 62 caps), 21 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 67 caps), 22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 25 caps), 23 Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps).
