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Has Holly Aitchison played her way into the Red Roses' starting side?
By Joe Harvey
In England’s dazzling 40-8 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final win against Scotland few shone brighter than Red Roses fly-half Holly Aitchison.
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Restricted to only 19 minutes on the pitch because of an ankle injury before the quarter-final encounter, Aitchison was on the Ashton Gate turf from start to finish, kicked five conversions, assisted Abby Dow’s try with a long looped pass and crossed the whitewash herself to land World Rugby’s top-ranked team with a final four match-up against France.
But her performance was defined by so much more than just the points that she got on the board. Able to display her range of passing, kicking and the more nuanced aspects of her game, the Southport-born 28-year-old was even got to display her versatility.
When Tatyana Heard was subbed off at the 60 minute mark for Zoe Harrison, the soon-to-be Sale Sharks playmaker shifted to inside centre to partner Helena Rowland, as England finished with a midfield all capable of playing fly-half.
So proficient were Aitchison’s efforts, you are left to wonder if John Mitchell has a potential selection quandary on his plate.
In his post-match press conference on Sunday evening the New Zealander, who otherwise seemed impressed with her efforts, pointed out that her missed tackle led to Rhona Lloyd’s late try closed out an otherwise faultless performance.
“She was a bit rusty early on, but then she managed to get some fluency into her game and our game, through being a triple threat,” the England head coach said.
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Aitchison made her England debut in 2021 after the conclusion of hour years representing England on the sevens circuit, which culminated with a fourth-place finish with Team GB at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
From a young age Aitchison was highly rated. She made her England U18s debut in sevens on her 16th birthday before turning out for the U20s in the 15-a-side game. When she finally made the transition to 15s full-time, there was even a debate as to what Aitchison’s best position was after strong outings across the backfield with Saracens.
At the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Aitchison was utilised at inside centre as the Red Roses finished as runners-up to the Black Ferns, before taking the reins in the No.10 jersey full-time after Harrison sustained an ACL injury early in 2023.
Upon her move to Bristol Bears, Aitchison got to lead a team outright for the first time and developed into a truly formidable operator in the middle of the park. And she gets. At the end of the 2023/24 Premiership Women’s Rugby season Bears finished the season as runners-up for the first time and made the semi-finals again a season later.
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But each challenge that Aitchison has faced, she had responded to resolutely. So renowned for her ability to dictate play, in 2024 her place-kicking was criticised. So she worked on it.
At the end of a Scotland game that was, perhaps, England’s most coherent attacking display of the whole tournament it must be considered that Aitchison has put her hand firmly up for a starting role against the French.
“I’m very proud of her that she’s able to get on that starting shirt and put out the performance that she did,” Dow, who is Aitchison’s roommate this World Cup, said.
“She makes the backline come alive. She identifies space and empowers the backline to be brave and if you’ve got a backline that’s willing to give it a go, it can be so devastating for an opposition.”
Throughout the World Cup to date Mitchell has been open about his selection policy. Before the tournament had got underway, the 61-year-old had drafted his matchday 23s for all of their Pool A games and may well have had an idea of exactly what his teams were going to look like ahead of a winner-takes-all clash at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 27 September.
So far Harrison has been first choice, just as she was in this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, but glimmers of form have been known to invade even the staunchest of coaches’ minds.
It is an unenviable position to be in. England are blessed with world class talent wherever you look.
In the pack Mitchell could flip a coin to decide any of his starters and still expect to dominate up front. And in the backs this is much the case too.
Meg Jones has been so influential in the midfield that she has started all four Red Roses matches on home soil and been England’s top performer in all of those appearances.
Helena Rowland has been played at fly-half, where she racked up a 27 point haul against Samoa, and has even been shipped to the midfield and full-back. As per usual she has oozed class.
This is all before mentioning reigning World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, who expected return from a concussion sustained against Australia this Saturday and return to the starting full-back jersey.
To say these decisions are difficult is putting things mildly.
England will confirm their semi-final squad on Thursday morning ahead of the Saturday afternoon kick-off.
