The Red Roses defied Sarah Beckett’s early red card to win in Parma in Round 1 and now welcome Wales to Ashton Gate in head coach Mitchell’s first home match.
Following their first home defeat to Scotland for 20 years, Wales will be looking to bounce back quickly when they make the short trip across the border on Saturday.
England won this fixture 59-3 last year, with nine different try-scorers.
TEAM NEWS
England have changed both halfbacks in seven alterations from the 48-0 win over Italy.
Natasha Hunt and Holly Aitchison come in to start as Lucy Packer and Zoe Harrison drop to the bench.
Tatyana Heard starts at centre alongside Cardiff-born Welsh speaker Megan Jones. That means there is no place in the 23 for Emily Scarratt and Helena Rowland.
In the pack, prop Maud Muir and No.8 Alex Matthews are promoted to start while Rosie Galligan will make her first appearance of the 2024 Championship in the second row, as Abbie Ward misses out completely.
Lock and former World Player of the Year Zoe Aldcroft will win her 50th cap.
Wales have made six changes from their home defeat to Scotland, with 20-year-old scrum-half Sian Jones handed a full debut.
Jones replaces Keira Bevan while Carys Cox is picked ahead of Nel Metcalfe on the wing.
Carys Phillips and Donna Rose come into the front row as Kelsey Jones and Sisilia Tuipulotu drop to the bench.
Georgia Evans and Kate Williams also start in the pack, with Natalia John and Alisha Butchers among the replacements.
Full-back Jenny Hesketh wins her second Wales cap having previously captained England at under-20 level.
WHAT THEY SAID
England head coach John Mitchell: “We’re excited to play in front of a home crowd for the first time in this year’s tournament. To have sold 18,000 tickets with two days to go until matchday shows the appetite for Red Roses rugby in this country.
“The girls have been focused on the opportunity that a match against Wales presents and we have been planning and building on this short week for some time. All teams will be better for their second outing and we’re looking forward to improving our game.”
Wales wing Jasmine Joyce: "We love being underdogs. It makes you braver, you've got nothing to lose going out and playing England. I really hope as a squad we feel like that going into the game on Saturday - nothing to lose, play with our hearts and try our best.
"England are on top form at the moment, they are one of the best teams in the world, if not the best.
"It will be really important for us to get hold of the first 30 minutes and then take it moment by moment."
KEY BATTLE - ABBY DOW v CARYS COX
There is a fun match-up on the wing as Ealing Trailfinders teammates Abby Dow and Carys Cox go head-to-head.
Dow scored six tries in last year’s Championship, including one against Wales, but drew a blank in Round 1 against Italy, who did well to shut down the space out wide and limit her attacking threat.
Dow has seven tries in club colours this season, while Cox has two. Cox is set to win just her fifth cap and make her first start in the Six Nations, so will be eager to impress.
STAT ATTACK
England have won 25 of their previous 27 Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches against Wales - their last defeat was a 13-0 defeat in Swansea in 2015.
Wales were the only team to win 90%+ of their own lineouts in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations (91%) and one of two teams to steal multiple opposition lineouts (2), alongside England (3).
England conceded just six penalties against Italy last weekend, the fewest of any side across the opening round of this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, however, they were one of just three sides to be shown a yellow card and the only one to be shown a red.
FANTASY WATCH
Prop Hannah Botterman always features prominently in Fantasy sides and she comes at just 14.4 stars after scoring the first try of England’s win over Italy in Round 1.
Centre Tatyana Heard scored against Wales in last year’s fixture and looks a good pick at 16.6 stars on her return to the England starting XV.
From a Wales perspective, back row Alex Callender scored a healthy 40 Fantasy points in Round 1 and she won’t set you back quite as much as some of her England counterparts, priced at 18.4 stars.
We always love a bargain so why not try Carys Phillips? The hooker will set you back just 9.9 stars and you can thank us later if she dots down from the back of a lineout drive on Saturday.
TEAMS
England: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Holly Aitchison, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Zoe Aldcroft, 5 Rosie Galligan, 6 Sadia Kabeya, 7 Marlie Packer, 8 Alex Matthews
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Kelsey Clifford, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Zoe Harrison, 23 Sydney Gregson
Wales: 15 Jenny Hesketh, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Kerin Lake, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Sian Jones; 1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Donna Rose, 4 Abbie Fleming, 5 Georgia Evans, 6 Kate Williams, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bethan Lewis
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Natalia John, 20 Alisha Butchers, 21 Keira Bevan, 22 Kayleigh Powell, 23 Nel Metcalfe.
