Emma Sing has set her sights on becoming England’s starting full-back during the Six Nations, but she says the battle for the shirt should not be seen as a rivalry with Ellie Kildunne.
Sing, who is part of the Red Roses squad, is aiming to challenge for a place in the team as England prepare for the tournament. Kildunne, the breakout star of the recent World Cup, remains a major figure in the side, but Sing says the competition between them is simply part of international rugby.
The Gloucester-Hartpury back has a strong record to draw on. She is a Rugby World Cup winner, a multiple Six Nations Grand Slam champion and has lifted the Premiership Women’s Rugby trophy three times. Those achievements, along with her steady performances at club level, have strengthened her case for a starting role.
Even so, Sing is not comfortable talking up her own honours. Her focus is on what comes next rather than what she has already won. That attitude reflects a player who has built her reputation through consistency and reliability rather than attention.
The 25-year-old’s background also gives her a different edge. Sing has described her “farm strength” as one of the qualities that can help her compete for the full-back position. It is a reference to the physical base she believes she has developed, and which she hopes will translate into a presence on the pitch strong enough to challenge for selection.
Her ambitions are clear, but so is her respect for Kildunne. Sing insists there is no personal contest between them, despite both being candidates for one of England’s key backline roles. Instead, she sees the situation as healthy competition within a squad with serious depth.
England’s options at full-back will be one of the selection questions as the Six Nations unfolds, and Sing’s form means she is firmly in the conversation. Her club performances for Gloucester-Hartpury have kept her in contention, while her trophy haul shows she already knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
For Sing, the next step is converting that experience into a regular starting role for England. She has the credentials, the ambition and the confidence that comes from years of success. What she does not want is for her challenge to be framed as a clash with Kildunne. In her view, both players are working toward the same goal: helping England in the Six Nations.
