England’s Botterman & Campbell Out of Six Nations

England’s Women’s Six Nations campaign has seen two key players sidelined due to medical needs. Prop Hannah Botterman, who contributed to the team’s World Cup final triumph against Canada in September, will miss the tournament after requiring a second ankle surgery. The injury occurred during a match for Bristol in December, and the operation is set for the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Saracens hooker May Campbell will undergo a knee procedure next week, further reducing the squad’s depth.

Squad Adjustments for Coverage

To compensate for the absences, Bristol lock Delaney Burns and Saracens prop Liz Crake have been included in the team. These additions provide backup for the upcoming fixtures. However, other players are also unavailable. Back rower Alex Matthews is ruled out of Saturday’s clash against Scotland at Murrayfield due to a shoulder injury sustained in the 33-12 victory over Ireland last Saturday.

Further setbacks emerged on Monday, with scrum-half Natasha Hunt and lock Morwenna Talling exiting the tournament after sustaining leg injuries during the Ireland game. This brings the number of unavailable players to a notable level, as several members of the World Cup-winning squad are already absent. Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, Rosie Galligan, and Lark Atkin-Davies are pregnant, while Emily Scarratt and Abby Dow have retired from the sport.

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