Red Roses dealt further injury blows ahead of Murrayfield clash with Scotland

England’s Red Roses have announced further injury blows ahead of their match with Scotland in Round 2 of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

This includes front-row duo Hannah Botterman and May Campbell have being ruled out of the tournament.

Botterman requires a second operation on an ankle injury sustained with Bristol Bears in December, while Saracens’ May Campbell will have surgery on a knee injury next week.

There is further disarray in John Mitchell’s forward pack as 82-cap back-row forward Alex Matthews is injured for this weekend’s fixture in Edinburgh.

The two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner is unavailable for selection due to a shoulder injury sustained against Ireland in England’s impressive 33-12 win at Allianz Stadium in front of a tournament record crowd.

Matthews’ injury is the latest forward unavailable due to England. Ahead of the Women’s Six Nations, senior lock forwards Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan all announced their pregnancies, while Morwenna Talling sustained a “long-term” injury against Ireland.

On Saturday, Mitchell confirmed that the Red Roses would potentially have to put back-row forwards in at lock with only uncapped options available to him.

He said: “We’ve lost four international locks. We’ll probably be a team of back-rowers by the end of the competition. That’s the way it’s going to be. We’ll just have to grow somebody else. But, you know, there’s different ways to play this game. If we have to rely on back-rows, we’ll make it work.”

Bristol Bears lock Delaney Burns and Saracens prop Liz Crake have been added to the squad as injury cover.

Burns has won three caps for England. Each were won in 2023 at that year’s edition of the Women’s Six Nations. Crake has won two caps for the Red Roses in her career to date and has scored three tries for her club side in Premiership Women’s Rugby this season.