Kildunne drops to bench as Red Roses ring changes

Sign InTransport & InfrastructureKildunne drops to bench as Red Roses ring changesBy Stacy Boit · October 21, 2026 · 1 min readSponsored AdEngland head coach John Mitchell has dropped star full-back Ellie Kildunne to the bench following a 24-21 defeat to Canada in Toronto, which snapped the Red Roses’ 41-match unbeaten streak.

Mitchell criticized his team for losing the hunger that drove their previous success, including four successive Six Nations Grand Slams and last year’s home World Cup title, emphasizing that the squad must regain its accountability ahead of Saturday’s rematch in Ottawa.

Emma Sing replaces Kildunne at full-back for the upcoming fixture, while former starting backline members Tatyana Heard and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald have been left out of the matchday squad entirely.

Moloney-MacDonald previously cost her side an early try during Friday’s match after dropping the ball over the line in the sixth minute.

Helena Rowland and Mia Venner come into the starting line-up at inside centre and wing,respectively, with Venner returning after finishing as the PWR’s joint top try-scorer last season with 12 tries.

The fourth change to the starting XV sees Sadia Kabeya earn a start following an appearance off the bench last week as she recovers from a leg injury, while two-time World Cup winner Alex Matthews drops to the bench.

Additionally, Exeter’s Flo Robinson and Sale’s Hollie Aitchison join the replacements as a new-look half-back pairing.

Mitchell noted that while the team has earned a strong period, nothing is owed to them moving forward as they prepare to face Canada at 00:00 BST on Saturday.