Feaunati to make first England start in France Test

Women's Test match: England v France

Venue: Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester Date: Saturday, 7 September Kick-off: 14:30 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online; perceive connected BBC Radio 5 Extra for updates; matter commentary, highlights and study connected BBC Sport website and app.

Flanker Maddie Feaunati will make her first England commencement connected Saturday arsenic John Mitchell names a beardown broadside to look France astatine Kingsholm Stadium.

Head coach Mitchell makes 2 changes to nan starting XV that defeated France 42-21 successful April to clinch a 3rd Six Nations Grand Slam successful a row.

Exeter Chiefs' Feaunati replaces nan injured Sadia Kabeya, pinch centre Helena Rowland coming successful for Megan Jones, who was ruled retired of nan full autumn run done injury.

Mitchell confirmed flanker Kabeya and fastener Catherine O'Donnell will subordinate Jones successful missing nan autumn, but it is expected that nan trio will return successful clip for adjacent year's Six Nations.

Feaunati, who turned 22 successful May, featured from nan chair successful each 5 of England's Six Nations games this year, scoring against Ireland astatine Twickenham.

"Maddie [Feaunati] came disconnected nan chair and played immoderate bully cameo roles during nan Six Nations," Mitchell told BBC Sport.

"Now it is her clip to guidelines up arsenic starter. I americium judge location will beryllium immoderate nerves, but it is an opportunity for her to liking a place."

Captain Marlie Packer continues to skipper nan broadside from open-side flanker successful a backmost statement competed by number 8 Alex Matthews.

Saturday is nan first of 2 reliable warm-up games for England earlier nan WXV1 tourney successful Canada, pinch world champions New Zealand facing nan Red Roses astatine nan recently named 'Allianz Stadium' adjacent Saturday.

Victory would make it 14 wins retired of their past 14 games against France successful each competitions.

"I don't judge successful friendlies," Mitchell added.

"WXV isn't won until October truthful we are keen to play and astatine nan extremity of nan time we want a situation truthful we person picked France and New Zealand.

"France are ever unpredictable and a awesome attacking side."

Centre Rowland impressed successful England's opening Six Nations triumph complete Italy earlier missing nan remainder of nan run done injury.

The 24-year-old joins Tatyana Heard successful a midfield which will beryllium keen to unleash nan breathtaking backmost 3 of Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow and Jess Breach.

The trio has scored a mixed 18 tries successful their past 5 matches together.

England Under-20 skipper and 2nd statement Lilli Ives Campion is group to make her elder debut from nan bench, while fly-half Zoe Harrison could make her 50th quality if she comes on.

"She [Ives Campion] is 1 of our early locks pinch beardown activity skills and bully connection skills, and she is starting to mature physically," nan New Zealander added.

"I saw nan emotion successful her bosom erstwhile I said to her past week that she would beryllium successful nan 23. She sewage affectional and I wasn't fresh to stock excessively overmuch much arsenic it was getting to her heart.

"I said 'go telephone mum and dad, we tin drawback up connected nan rugby later'."

Replacement prop Sarah Bern returns to world rugby aft missing nan Six Nations because of injury.

A 3rd of Mitchell's starting squad will beryllium playing astatine home, pinch scrum-half Natasha Hunt, prop Maud Muir, 2nd statement Zoe Aldcroft, number 8 Matthews and centre Heard each playing their nine rugby for Gloucester-Hartpury.

England: Kildunne; Dow, Rowland, Heard, Breach; Aitchison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Aldcroft, Talling, Feaunati, M Packer, Matthews.

Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Carson, Bern, Campion, Cleall, L Packer, Harrison, Scarratt.

France: Jacquet; Banet, Konde, M Menager, Boulard; Tuy, Chambon; Brosseau, Sochat, Khalfaoui, M Feleu (capt), Fall, Escudero, Gros, R Menager.

Replacements: Bigot, Mwayembe, Bernadou, Ikahehegi, Okemba, T Feleu, Bourdon Sansus, Vernier.