\n<\/p>\n
Scotland fly-half Helen Nelson, who ranks fourth highest for the number of kicks out of hand in the English top-flight, may well look to exploit space around Kildunne, while Rhona Lloyd, who will line up opposite Kildunne, has scored 11 league tries for Sale so far this season.<\/p>\n
“Emma Sing has been brilliant all season at full-back, so rightly she deserves the opportunity,” said England defence coach Sarah Hunter.<\/p>\n
“But obviously, Ellie’s a world-class player and has that versatility to be able to play on the wing and the skill set to be able to play how we want.<\/p>\n
“It’s pretty exciting to get two such in-form players playing alongside each other.<\/p>\n
“And Abi [Burton] is such a brilliant character that she’s just gone ‘alright, I’ll put my head in there’<\/p>\n
“She will do anything for for an England shirt, and if that means going in the second row, that means going in the second row. She’s been brilliant.”<\/p>\n
Elsewhere prop Maud Muir wins her 50th cap for England as she starts at tighthead in place of Sarah Bern, who is part of a set of replacements which includes 112-cap Marlie Packer and Gloucester-Hartpury’s Mia Venner.<\/p>\n
England are hunting their eighth successive Women’s Six Nations title, but are attempting to maintain their streak without a host of names who helped them to the World Cup last year.<\/p>\n
Number eight Alex Matthews will miss the meeting with Scotland with a shoulder injury, while earlier on Thursday it was announced that prop Hannah Botterman had joined those sidelined for the tournament with an ankle injury.<\/p>\n
“I think it’s quite unheard of within an England squad over the years,” said Hunter of the current glut of absences.<\/p>\n
“If we think about it, in a four-year cycle, it’s almost good that we’re having this situation now, that we can grow and develop some of the younger players coming through – it might be accelerating them a little bit.”<\/p>\n
Hunter and head coach John Mitchell will hope that the enforced changes will prove the making of a next generation of players, while maintaining the Red Roses’ grip on the tournament.<\/p>\n
However Scotland, who will play in front of a 25,000-plus crowd at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in the biggest stand-alone women’s sporting fixture in their country’s history, will be primed to exploit any wobbles.<\/p>\n
England:<\/b> Sing; Breach, Jones (capt), Rowland, Kildunne; Harrison, L Packer; Clifford, Cokayne, Muir, Burton, Ives Campion, Short, Kabeya, Feaunati,<\/p>\n
Replacements:<\/i> Powell, Carson, Bern, Lutui, M Packer, Robinson, Aitchison, Venner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n