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Emily Scarratt to celebrate 100th birthdayth The English rugby season begins, with the Red Roses taking on New Zealand in the first match at the renamed Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Veteran centre Scarratt is promoted to the starting line-up with the number 13 jersey and becomes only the third Red Rose to reach the 100-start milestone after Sarah Hunter and Rocky Clark.
Her arrival as a substitute is one of five changes to John Mitchell’s side, with the front row replaced from the win over France and Abbie Ward back to full fitness to start in the second row. Gloucester-Hartpury flanker Georgia Brock, meanwhile, is expected to make her debut from the bench.
Scarratt, 34, returns to the outside centre position she has occupied for more than a decade. The versatile Loughborough fullback had been considered a more attractive option at No.12 during the Women’s Six Nations but replaces club colleague Helena Rowland with Meg Jones absent through injury after posting personal best sprint times in training.
“It was all planned,” Red Roses coach Mitchell said. “We have two world-class 13s, so Helena [Rowland] I started last week and Emily is taking over this week.
“Scaz [Scarratt] She is a very humble, very professional woman who does things in a very routine way. She takes charge and would be the first to admit that she was not at her best and that she had a lot of problems during the Six Nations.
“I expect her to play really well this weekend and for her experience to shine through. Reputation doesn’t matter much to me, experience and enthusiasm matter a lot.”
The clash pits the current world number 1 against the world champions, the Black Ferns, visiting England for the first time since 2021.
The Red Roses beat New Zealand last November to win the inaugural WXV title, avenging their World Cup final defeat at Eden Park the previous year. The two teams will meet again at this year’s WXV in Canada.
Former All Blacks coach Mitchell will coach against his compatriots and is relishing his first taste of the rivalry on home soil as Red Roses boss.
“The first time I coached a New Zealand team was in 1998 against the All Blacks in Dunedin,” Mitchell said. “At the time it was a very emotional time for me because I had just left the country.
“I only play professional sport now. England is my home. I haven’t lived in New Zealand for 22 years. I’m not emotionally interested in it.
“Every opportunity at the Allianz Stadium is really important for us and we know we have to earn the right to play in a final here in 2025. We want to play here consistently and every time we play here we want to perform. We want to do it for the girls.”
England will confirm their 30-man squad for the WXV on Thursday 19 September.
The Red Roses will face New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (2.30pm BST, Saturday 14 September)
15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 44 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Women’s Trailfinders, 46 caps)
13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 112 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 23 caps)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 39 caps)
10 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 31 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 73 caps)
1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 16 caps)
2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
4 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 54 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 65 caps)
6 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 6 caps)
7 Marlie Packer (Saracens, 105 caps) – captain
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 68 caps)
Replacements:
16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 75 caps)
17 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 31 caps)
19 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 14 caps)
20 Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury, not selected)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 22 caps)
22 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 50 caps)
23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 30 caps)
