World leader Zoe gets captain duty
SECOND row Zoe Aldcroft will lead an England XV featuring nine changes as they attempt to complete a clean sweep of their Autumn series against the United States.
Victory would mean they match England’s men’s record of 18 successive Test wins between 2015 and 2017.
“Zoe Aldcroft has her own style based around actions not words,” said coach Simon Middleton on giving her the captaincy for the first time.
“It’s a style that resonates with our coaching team and one that is massively respected across the squad, so from that side it was a simple choice for us.”
Lydia Thompson, who started both the team’s wins over New Zealand, returns on the wing, with Holly Aitchison at centre and Helena Rowland moving to 10.
Maud Muir makes her first Test start in an all-new front row, while Alex Matthews, who scored off the bench against Canada last weekend, is at blindside flanker.
Harlequins Sarah Beckett makes her comeback at No.8 after having surgery on a knee injury in the summer, with sometime captain Poppy Cleall dropping out of the squad.
Aldcroft, who was named on the shortlist for World Player of the Year earlier this week, and Abbie Dow are the only players to have started all
four of England’s matches this autumn. Aldcroft says it has been “the best week of my life”.
The lock, who can also play in the back row, was not expecting the captaincy and “didn’t have a clue” the World Rugby nominations were being announced on Monday. She added: “We were sat in our shirt presentation. I was thinking, ‘I wonder who it will be?’ Then they said my name and I wasn’t expecting it. I was over the moon.”
Aldcroft’s GloucesterHartpury teammate Connie Powell and Harlequins scrum-half Lucy Packer are set to make their international debuts off the bench.
Worcester’s Thompson will win her 50th cap on her club home ground with replacement second row Rowena Burnfield, appearing in a squad for the first time since February 2019, poised to reach the same milestone.
The meeting is
England’s first against the USA, ranked sixth in the world, since the Red Roses’ 38-5 victory in San Diego in 2019.
Victory would take England’s winning streak to 18 successive Tests, however, they are still some way short of New Zealand’s women’s record of 24 straight wins between 2002 and 2009.
The USA have lost all three matches this autumn with a 20-10 reverse against Ireland last weekend following two losses to Canada. However Middleton says his side have to be wary of the Eagles’ threat.
“The USA will bring a bit of unpredictability,” he said. “They will know that they can’t go through the motions and beat England, they will have to do something different.
“We have to expect the unexpected. They will be energised, incredibly patriotic about the shirt and come at you from everywhere.”