WATERMAN IN ENGLAND WOMEN’S SQUAD TO FACE IRELAND

England have named teenage scrum half Danielle Waterman in their squad for their Six Nations game against Ireland in Limerick on Friday night (7.30pm).

The 18-year-old Clifton player will be the youngest woman capped by England if she comes off the bench as the unbeaten women’s team attempt to complete their Grand Slam.

Waterman – the daughter of former Bath player Jim Waterman – is a pupil at the RFUW Bath Academy at Oldfield School.

The youngest player capped by England so far is Joanne Yapp, who was 19 when she made her debut against Ireland in 1998.

Waterman’s inclusion follows six changes to the team that beat Scotland 31-0 last weekend.

Sharon Whitehead, Alex Pilkington, Helen Flippance, Susie Appleby, Karen Andrew and Sarah Marsh come into the starting line-up. 

Waterman and Selena Rudge are on the bench in place of Yapp and Amy Garnett, who are in the first official England Sevens team at Hong Kong.

England head coach, Geoff Richards said: “It’s been a tough campaign so I’m looking at Friday’s game as an opportunity to use some fresh players. 

“With Joanne Yapp and Amy Garnett going to play the Hong Kong Sevens there’s a space for us to try out exciting young players, such as Danielle Waterman. She is an 18-year-old, still at school, and comes to the team out of the Bath Academy.”

“This is the fifth game of the competition and we’ve got to be on our guard. Playing in Ireland is always tough but we want to finish this off well.

“If results are anything to go by, we should win but until that final whistle sounds we’ve got it all to play for and the players will remain focused on the goal of winning the 6 Nations Championship.”

England have scored 231 points and conceded only seven in their four games so far this season.

England team

1 Sharon Whitehead (Richmond)

2 Ann O'Flynn (Henley)

3 Maxine Edwards (Saracens, captain)

4 Jenny Sutton (Richmond)

5 Claire Green (Wasps)

6 Alex Pilkington (Clifton)

7 Helen Flippance (Richmond)

8 Claire Frost (Saracens)

9 Susie Appleby (Clifton)

10 Karen Andrew (Saracens)

11 Sue Day (Wasps)

12 Assunta De Biase (Saracens)

13 Nicki Jupp (Richmond)

14 Sarah Marsh (Wasps) 

15 Chris Diver (Richmond)

Replacements

16 Selena Rudge (Richmond)

17 Vanessa Huxford (Wasps)

18 Georgia Stevens (Clifton)

19 Helen Clayton (Saracens)

20 Danielle Waterman (Clifton)

21 Shelley Rae (Wasps)

22 Nicola Crawford (Worcester)

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Geoff Richards

Assistant Coach: Paul Stone

Manager: Heather Stirrup

Assistant Manager: Janette Shaw

Doctor: Dr Ese Stacey

Physiotherapist: Jacky Dascombe

Trainer: Paul Cherry

Performance Director: Carol Isherwood