Holly Aitchison starts at fly half as Red Roses return to action in Women’s Six Nations opener

Holly Aitchison will start at fly half for England against Ireland as the Red Roses return to action for the first time since winning the Rugby World Cup in September. Aitchison will steer John Mitchell ’s side as they revisit the scene of their final triumph, with a close-to-capacity crowd expected for their Women’s Six Nations opener at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. The versatile Helena Rowland partners new captain Meg Jones in the centres after injury to Tatyana Heard , while Claudia Moloney-MacDonald is the beneficiary of Abby Dow’s retirement – with the Exeter wing set to face her wife, Ireland hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald.

22-year-old lock Lilli Ives Campion is set for a major opportunity in the absence of pregnant trio Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan from the second row. Among the replacements is a possible debutant in Haineala Lutui. The daughter of former Tonga international Aleki Lutui, the 19-year-old Loughborough Lightning forward has been the top carrier in Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) this season.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to be returning to Allianz Stadium in front of our fans for the first time since the 2025 Rugby World Cup final,” head coach Mitchell said, with more than 75,000 tickets sold. “We’ve all felt the lasting impact of 2025, and that’s reflected in the incredible ticket sales for Saturday’s match. Head coach John Mitchell guided England to World Cup glory last year (PA Wire) “The players relish, and absolutely deserve, the opportunity to perform in front of record crowds, but they also understand the responsibility that comes with that stage.

“We know success in this competition is never given; it has to be earned every time. We’ve prepared well as a group, and the players are ready to express themselves fully. We cannot wait to get started.