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Women's Six Nations 2024: England hooker Amy Cockayne returns

Women's Six Nations 2024: England hooker Amy Cockayne returns

Image source, Getty Images

Comment on the photo, Amy Cockayne scored a try before being sent off in England's third round win over Scotland

Women's Six Nations: France vs England

place: Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux date: Saturday 27 April Starting: 16:45 GMT

coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online; Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra; Text comments, highlights and reports on the BBC Sport website and app.

England made two injury changes to face France in Saturday's Grand Slam decider in Bordeaux.

Hooker Amy Cockayne returns to the starting line-up from suspension to replace Lark Atkin-Davies, who injured her ankle in the win over Ireland.

Sale's Morwenna Taling retained her starting place after Rosie Galligan was withdrawn late against Ireland with a thumb injury, with Abby Ward returning to the bench.

The Red Roses are aiming to win a Grand Slam for a third year in a row and record a consecutive Women's Six Nations title.

Cockayne missed England's win over Ireland after being sent off for two yellow card offenses against Scotland.

The back line was unchanged for the fourth match in a row, with midfielder Emily Scarratt once again named as a substitute.

It means the dangerous trio of Eli Kildon, Abbey Dow and Jess Breech – who scored eight of England's 14 tries against Ireland in front of 48,778 at Twickenham – retain their place.

Just five points separated England and France at Twickenham in front of a record women's crowd of 58,498 last year as the Red Roses secured another Grand Slam title.

video caption, BBC pundit's analysis of English “rock star” Keldon v Ireland

France made four changes to their starting XV that defeated Wales 40-0 in Cardiff, including the return of former captain Gael Hermit on the wing and lock Madousou Fall, who scored two tries in the contest.

Bordeaux's Chaban-Delmas stadium holds 34,462 spectators, and a large crowd is expected on Saturday.

England coach John Mitchell said: “France will be encouraged by their presence on their soil, but we are actually looking forward to accepting this challenge.”

“It's another stadium at full capacity, which gives us energy as well. That's what drives the girls – they want to play in front of full capacity.”

The Red Roses are unbeaten in 28 matches in the competition, a record for consecutive victories for any team in the men's and women's tournaments.

However, France are the last team to beat England in the competition, in 2018.

Formations

France: Pollard. Grices, Condé, Vernier, M. Menager; Kirui, Bourdon Sanssus; Deshay, Suchat, Khalfaoui, Filo (captain), Vale, Escudero, Hermit, R-Menager.

Replacements: Revono, Muyembe, Goyo, Filiu, Gros, Chambon, Siofani, Jacquet.

England: Keldon. Dow, Jones, Hurd, British; Aitchison, Hunt; Butterman, Cockayne, Muir, Aldcroft, Taling, Kabia, M. Packer (Capt.), Matthews.

Replacements: Powell, Carson, Clifford, Ward, Vionati, L. Packer, Scarratt, Gregson.