Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hunt and Talling returned to the pitch to congratulate their team-mates after the 33-12 win over Ireland
ByMike HensonBBC Sport rugby union news reporter- Published20 minutes ago
England's already-depleted squad have suffered a double injury blow as it was confirmed scrum-half Natasha Hunt and second row Morwenna Talling are out of the remainder of their Women's Six Nations title defence.
Both Hunt and Talling suffered leg injuries in the 33-12 victory over Ireland in Twickenham on Saturday, leaving Allianz Stadium on crutches.
Head coach John Mitchell has opted against direct positional replacements, with Trailfinders' uncapped 21-year-old back row Haidee Head and Saracens' Sydney Gregson, who plays both centre and wing and won her most recent cap against France in the 2024 Six Nations, being called up in their place.
Hunt was England's first-choice scrum-half through the Rugby World Cup-winning campaign last year, while Talling had been set for a key role during the Six Nations with fellow locks Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan all pregnant.
England are stretched at scrum-half, but still have Lucy Packer, who started the World Cup final in 2022 and was picked ahead of Hunt to start against Ireland, backed up by Exeter's Flo Robinson and the versatile Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. Helena Rowland has also trained at nine.
However, with Talling joining those on the sidelines, there is a real dearth of experience at second row.
Lilli Ives Campion, who has only six caps, is the most senior of the second-row options in Mitchell's squad.
Nineteen-year-old Haineala Lutui, who usually plays back row, was brought off the bench to replace Talling and win her first cap against Ireland.
Bristol duo Demelza Short and Christiana Balogun and Saracens' Jodie Verghese are also options at second row, but none have yet made their senior England debut.
England could instead deploy one of their back rows alongside Ives Campion, with Alex Matthews and Maddie Feaunati the likeliest candidates.
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Media caption,England begin Six Nations title defence with victory over Ireland
"We must adapt, we will be a team of back rowers by the end of the tournament," Mitchell said on Saturday.
"If that is the way it is going to be, then so be it. There are different ways to play this game, and if that means using back rowers, then we will make it work."
England, on a 34-match winning streak, take on Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday. More than 25,000 tickets have been sold, setting it up to be the biggest crowd ever at a stand-alone women's sport fixture in Scotland.
Analysis
BBC rugby union commentator Sara Orchard:
This is as close to a player crisis as the Red Roses have come in the professional era.
For any other country, losing three lock options to pregnancy and then their most experienced second row to injury would be alarming.
For England it's a test.
A test of their coaching staff and the depth of the Premiership Women's Rugby competition to see how quickly the next cabs off the rank can get up to speed.
Haidee Head was unlucky to not be included in the wider Six Nations group, but she is considered a back row. Sydney Gregson is a centre/wing at Saracens indicating that Exeter's Claudia Moloney-MacDonald could be about to spend more time at scrum-half.
If any team can handle the upheaval it's England, but the juggling act certainly has more balls in the air than normal.
