Expectations are high for John Mitchell’s first game in charge as the Red Roses start their bid for a sixth successive title against a team they have never lost to.
Abby Dow crossed four times and Jess Breach scored a hat-trick in England’s 68-5 victory over Le Azzurre last time out and both start in what is a supremely strong side in Parma.
Italy have opted for experience in their attempt to quell all-conquering England, with 13 of their 15 starters holding upwards of 20 international caps.
TEAM NEWS
Marlie Packer will win her 100th international cap when she skippers England on Sunday.
The Saracens back row debuted for her country in 2008 and becomes the seventh woman to achieve the centurion milestone for England.
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 prop 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.
Sofia Stefan captains Italy and will win her 83rd cap alongside centre Michela Sillari.
Three of the Italy starting XV play their club rugby in England, with centre Beatrice Rigoni and lock Sara Tounesi at Sale Sharks, and hooker Silvia Turani on the books at Harlequins.
No player in the Italy 23 has won fewer than five caps.
WHAT THEY SAID
England head coach John Mitchell: “The potential of this side is huge. We’ve been a very good team but we want to be an outstanding team.
“As good as we have been in the Six Nations, how do we get done [win a World Cup] what we haven’t done for 11 years? We have to successfully climb that peak. And we’ve still got to fill the top tier of green seats at Twickenham.
“This team has a fantastic identity but it’s still on its way to becoming fully immersed in English rugby culture.”
Italy head coach Giovanni Raineri: “I’m excited for us. We have some new players who will be starting the first match of the campaign against the strongest team in the world.
“This is a chance for us to learn what the younger generation is capable of. We’re looking at players like Francesca Granzotto, who can play nine but also wing and fullback; or Nicole Mastrangelo, also a scrum-half, who’s still under 20 but is in the group, so we’ll see how she does during the tournament.”
KEY BATTLE – Beatrice Rigoni v Helena Rowland
While Helena Rowland’s quality is undoubted it has been harder to pin down an exact role for her in the England team but a start at outside centre for John Mitchell’s first game in charge is a huge show of faith.
She does, however, have the unenviable task of marshalling playmaker Beatrice Rigoni.
Since joining Sale Sharks Rigoni has demonstrated an abundance of attacking flair and flamboyance and inspired her side to an historic first win over Harlequins with a fine interception try.
Both are arguably two of the finest footballers across all competing nations and their midfield battle promises to be an intriguing one.
STAT ATTACK
England have won all 17 of their Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches against Italy, with their last five victories all coming by margins of 50+ points
Italy have won five of their last 11 home games in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations England are on a 24-match winning streak in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations; since 2016, only France have beaten them in the Championship
England’s last four Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches on a Sunday have seen them nil their opponents, notching up 224 points in the process Italy had the highest place-kicking success rate of any team in the 2023 Championship (83%) while England had the lowest (50%).
FANTASY WATCH
There are just three players in the game worth the maximum 20 starts and two of them start for England on Saturday.
Captain Packer and speedster Dow feasted in the Championship last year, scoring seven and six tries respectively as England claimed another Grand Slam.
Sara Tounesi (17 stars) is the big money pick for Italy. She scored two tries last year, including Italy's sole score in the defeat to England.
TEAMS
Italy: 15 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14 Aura Muzzo, 13 Michela Sillari, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Alyssa D'Inca, 10 Veronica Madia, 9 Sofia Stefan (c); 8 Giulia Cavina, 7 Francesca Sgorbini, 6 Isabella Locatelli, 5 Sara Tounesi, 4 Valeria Fedrighi, 3 Sara Seye, 2 Silvia Turani, 1 Gaia Maris
Replacements: 16 Laura Gurioli, 17 Emanuela Stecca, 18 Lucia Gai, 19 Alessia Pilani, 20 Giordana Duca, 21 Alessandra Frangipani, 22 Emma Stevanin, 23 Francesca Granzotto
England: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Helena Rowland, 12 Emily Scarratt, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 3 Kelsey Clifford, 4 Zoe Aldcroft, 5 Abbie Ward, 6 Sadia Kabeya, 7 Marlie Packer (c), 8 Sarah Beckett
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Maddie Feaunati, 20 Alex Matthews, 21 Natasha Hunt, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Megan Jones
