England skipper Aldcroft to miss rest of Women's Rugby World Cup pool phase / Photo: © AFP
England skipper Aldcroft to miss rest of Women's Rugby World Cup pool phase
England captain Zoe Aldcroft has been ruled out of the rest of the pool stage of the Women's Rugby World Cup with a knee injury, it was announced Thursday.
The 28-year-old was injured midway through the first half of tournament favourites England's opening 69-7 rout of the United States in Sunderland last Friday and had her knee heavily strapped before she eventually left the field on the hour mark.
It was always likely that Aldcroft would have been rotated for Saturday's game against Samoa in Northampton, but she will now miss the hosts' final Pool A match against Australia on September 6 as well.
Aldcroft was one of 13 changes to the starting 15 announced Thursday by coach John Mitchell, with wing Jess Breach and centre Megan Jones the only two players to retain their places.
Former skipper Marlie Packer takes over as captain, with fist-choice backs Natasha Hunt, Zoe Harrison and Ellie Kildunne on the bench.
Packer, a 111-cap flanker, has not played since being sent off in a World Cup warm-up win over Spain, where she again led the side in Aldcroft's absence.
The Red Roses are on a 28-game winning run, with their last defeat coming in the Covid-delayed 2022 World Cup final where they suffered an agonising loss to New Zealand in Auckland.
Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (left wing) and Helena Rowland (fly-half) start after returning from injury, but fly-half Holly Aitchison remains sidelined with an ankle problem.
"It has been in our planning to give everyone game time over the first two pool matches and, bar Holly, we've been able to execute that with this selection," said Mitchell.
"Our new combination want to make each other proud and build on our performance against the USA in our opening match," added Mitchell, a former coach of his native New Zealand's men's All Blacks.
Samoa, an amateur side, were beaten 73-0 by Australia in their Pool A opener and there is every chance England -- who fielded two different teams across this year's Women's Six Nations and still won a fourth consecutive Grand Slam -- could inflict another heavy defeat upon the Pacific islanders.
A.M.Owen--TNT
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