3 weeks ago
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Can nan Italian women subordinate nan men and make 2026 nan twelvemonth of a double first ever triumph complete England? We’re astir to find out.
The teams are connected their measurement out, but not earlier Helena Rowland emerges from nan passageway unsocial to return nan applause connected nan juncture of her fiftieth cap.
Pre-match reading
Give maine a outcry pinch each your thoughts and feelings connected nan lucifer and thing other too connected nan email. Don’t beryllium awkward now.
Teams
Italy are unchanged successful nan backs arsenic Fabio Rosselli sticks pinch nan unit from nan awesome Scotland win. The battalion is simply a different story, pinch Alessandra Frangipani returning successful nan 2nd statement and Beatrice Veronese coming into nan backmost row.
John Mitchell makes respective changes to nan England side. Emma Sing and Mia Venner travel into nan backmost three, pinch Ellie Kildunne returning to nan helping berth wherever she caused harm to Scotland a fewer weeks ago. Helena Rowland earns her 50th headdress successful midfield alongside Megan Jones, while up beforehand there’s a unchangeable beforehand statement of Kelsey Clifford, Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir. Demelza Short continues successful nan backmost row; while there’s liking connected nan chair pinch a imaginable debut for flanker Haidee Head.
A very precocious wounded to Maddie Feaunati brings Haineala Lutui into nan side, pinch Abi Burton shifting to Number 8 and different debutant successful Christiana Balogun added to nan subs.
Italy
15 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14 Aura Muzzo, 13 Michela Sillari, 12 Beatrice Rigoni Mannini, 11 Alyssa D’Inca, 10 Veronica Madia, 9 Sofia Stefan; 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Vittoria Vecchini, 3 Vittoria Zanette, 4 Valeria Fedrighi , 5 Alessandra Frangipani, 6 Beatrice Veronese, 7 Alissa Ranuccini, 8 Elisa Giordano.
Replacements: Chiara Cheli, Gaia Maris, Gaia Dosi, Giordana Duca, Francesca Sgorbini, Alia Bitonci, Emma Stevanin, Francesca Granzotto.
England
15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Helena Rowland, 11 Ellie Kildunne, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Haineala Lutui, 5 Delaney Burns, 6 Demelza Short, 7 Marlie Packer, 8 Abi Burton.
Replacements: Connie Powell, Mackenzie Carson, Sarah Bern, Christiana Balogun, Haidee Head, Flo Robinson, Holly Aitchison, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald
Preamble
It is surely existent that since 2024, Italy person improved consistently nether Fabio Roselli’s stewardship. This has been possibly astir evident this twelvemonth arsenic nan caput coach refreshed his squad pinch immoderate younger unit past moreover pinch a mates of defeats nan promising performances continued, positive nan prize of nan walloping of Scotland successful nan past round.
However, Le Azzurre and Roselli must now spot this optimism afloat successful nan way of nan killdozer that is England. There were predictions coming into nan tournament, not without immoderate logical foundation, that owed to injuries, immoderate ageing players and a flimsy drop-off successful form, John Mitchell’s squad whitethorn not chew up everything successful their measurement pinch nan aforesaid cataclysmic gusto. Those predictions were wrong, and coming Italy must contend pinch nan Red Roses taking different opportunity to revel successful contradicting this wrongness. The truth is they stay terrifyingly superb enough, arsenic always.
Such is nan quality of modern sermon connected a number of matters that location is often a request to constituent retired that 2 things tin beryllium existent astatine nan aforesaid time. Italy are astir to find out.
