Rugby / Bristol Bears Women
Delaney Burns of the Bristol Bears will make his England debut on Sunday against Italy in the Six Nations.
Her Bristol teammate Sarah Bern is also in the starting XV, with fellow Bear Lark Davies named as a finisher and Simi Pam joining the team as a non-playing reserve.
Burns has been a ubiquitous member of the Bears squad this season, while Pam was named Bristol24/7 Sportsperson of the Year for 2021. Bern will earn his 54th cap for England at the weekend, while Davies has capped 45 times for his country.
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England head coach Simon Middleton said: “Delaney Burns has impressed us immensely. His understanding of the line-out and set pieces is solid and he deserves his start.”
Bristol Head Coach Dave Ward said: “We are incredibly proud of the Bears for Delaney and the opportunity he has to play for the Red Roses. It’s a great testament to the work she’s put in and we can’t wait to see her in a white shirt.”
Twenty-one-year-old Burns was part of Bristol’s Center of Excellence program before moving to the senior team at the start of the 2019/20 season.
During the 2021/22 season, Burns made his England Under-20 debut, making five appearances.
On Saturday in Edinburgh, four Bears players (Gwenllian Pyrs, Keira Bevan, Elinor Snowsill and Courtney Keight) will start Wales against Scotland.
Elsewhere, Bears Center of Excellence star Lauren Bailey has been named in England’s Under-18 squad to compete in her country’s Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival at Wellington College; and Bears Academy mainstay Louie Trevett has been included in a 26-player England Under-18 squad to compete in the Men’s Under-18 Six Nations Festival in Dublin.
Main photo: JMP
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