England’s preparations for the Women’s Six Nations have been further disrupted, with prop Hannah Botterman ruled out of the opener against Ireland because of an ankle injury.
The setback raises doubts over whether Botterman will feature at all in the tournament, leaving England in danger of losing a ninth World Cup winner from their squad for the championship. Red Roses head coach John Mitchell said the team will have more clarity on her return timeline next week.
Kelsey Clifford has been selected to start at loosehead prop in Botterman’s place for the match at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
Botterman’s absence adds to a difficult build-up for England, who are already dealing with injuries, two retirements and four pregnancies. Among the latest developments is the news that Rosie Galligan, whose partner is England teammate Marlie Packer, announced earlier this week that she is expecting.
Ellie Kildunne is set to start at full-back against Ireland as England begin their campaign at home.
The combination of fitness problems and unavailable players has left Mitchell with a reduced pool to choose from, though England still go into the tournament with significant depth and experience. The loss of another established player underlines how unsettled the Red Roses’ squad has become ahead of their Six Nations opener.
England will continue to monitor Botterman’s recovery before deciding whether she can take any part in the rest of the competition. For now, though, their focus turns to the visit of Ireland and the challenge of opening the tournament without one of their frontline forwards.
