George lends hand at Red Roses training
England men’s captain gives specialist advice on line-outs Coach Mitchell draws on their ‘genuine friendship’ for help
Jamie George has been offering specialist line-out coaching to the Red Roses ahead of their secondround Six Nations match against Wales.
John Mitchell, the England women’s head coach, said he shared a “genuine friendship” with the England men’s captain, who volunteered to lead a specialist throwing session with his female counterparts earlier this week.
The pair have kept in contact since the New Zealander vacated his role as England’s men’s defence coach in 2018, with Mitchell revealing how George messaged him after he was appointed the Red Roses’ head coach in May last year.
“Jamie’s a good human being,” said Mitchell. “It wasn’t forced or coerced by me. I’ve kept in touch ever since my departure [from England men] as a coach. I wished him well for the Six Nations. Way back when I got this role he said, ‘If you ever need any help with the girls just sing out. He was the one that actually encouraged it and we made it work. I think the girls really enjoyed it. We’re very lucky.
“We’re always texting anyway on various things. I think we have a genuine friendship.”
England’s line-out – usually a solid area of their game – misfired during an underwhelming first half in their 48-0 victory over Italy last Sunday.
George’s involvement with hookers Lark Atkin-davies, Amy Cokayne, May Campbell and Connie Powell is understood to be a one-off, although Mitchell remained enthusiastic about exploring further “cross-pollination” between the England men’s and women’s programmes as his side build towards a home World Cup next year.
Nathan Catt, England’s pathways scrum coach and Brian Ashton, who guided England’s men to the World Cup final in 2007, have already been acting as consultants for the Red Roses in recent months. “It’s not something we’re trying to do in abundance,” Mitchell said, “but the nines will also probably benefit from some [men’s] kicking connections as well, so it’s a starting point, which is fantastic.”
Mitchell has heavily rotated his side ahead of their meeting with Wales at Ashton Gate tomorrow, for which 18,000 tickets have been sold. Among the wholesale changes – which Mitchell insisted were preplanned ahead of the Italy win – is a new half-back partnership of Holly Aitchison and Natasha Hunt. Meg Jones and Tatyana Heard form a fresh midfield axis, while Alex Matthews, one of four surviving members from England’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad, earns her first start of the championship at No8.
Sydney Gregson, a dynamic centre who earned the first of her three England caps as a 19-year-old in the 2015 Women’s Six Nations, but has not featured for her country since, is also poised to make her first Test appearance in nine years. “She’s probably been the most consistent outside centre in the English Premiership,” Mitchell said of Gregson. “She has a fighting attitude and a real competitor. I like her energy.”
Mitchell also confirmed that Sarah Beckett, England’s No8 who has been banned for three matches following her dangerous crocodile roll on Italy’s Michela Sillari, would remain with the rest of the squad over the coming weeks.
England E Kildunne (Harlequins); A Dow (Trailfinders), M Jones (Leicester), T Heard (Gloucester-hartpury), J Breach (Saracens); H Aitchison (Bristol), N Hunt (Gloucester-hartpury); H Botterman (Bristol), L Atkin-davies (Bristol), M Muir (Gloucester-hartpury), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester-hartpury), R Galligan (Saracens), S Kabeya (Loughborough), M Packer (Saracens, capt), A Matthews (Gloucester-hartpury). Replacements C Powell (Harlequins), M Carson (Gloucester-hartpury), K Clifford (Saracens), A Ward (Bristol), M Feaunati (Exeter), L Packer (Harlequins), Z Harrison (Saracens), S Gregson (Saracens). Wales J Hesketh (Bristol); J Joyce (GB Sevens/wru), H Jones (Gloucester-hartpury, capt), K Lake (Gloucesterhartpury), C Cox (Trailfinders); L George (Gloucester-hartpury), S Jones (Sale); G Pyrs (Bristol), C Phillips (Harlequins), D Rose (Saracens), A Fleming (Harlequins), G Evans (Saracens), K Williams (Gloucester-hartpury), A Callender (Brython Thunder), B Lewis (Gloucesterhartpury). Replacements K Jones (Gloucester-hartpury), A Constable (Gloucester-hartpury), S Tuipulotu (Gloucester-hartpury), N John (Brython Thunder), A Butchers (Bristol), K Bevan (Bristol), K Powell (Bristol), N Metcalfe (Gloucester-hartpury). Venue Ashton Gate, Bristol. KO Tomorrow, 4.45pm.
TV BBC Two.