Kelsey Clifford honoured to share England debut with farewell to 'ultimate captain' Sarah Hunter

Saturday was a day that will forever be remembered as Sarah Hunter's final England appearance, but for Kelsey Clifford it was the start of her England dream. The Saracens prop came off the bench at Kingston Park to make her Red Roses debut as Simon Middleton's side began their latest TikTok Women's Six Nations title defence with a 58-7 win over Scotland.

Ad Clifford, 21, was playing for England U20s only last season and her selection marked her meteoric rise at a hugely exciting time for women's rugby in England, with the 2025 World Cup firmly on the horizon. Women's Six Nations ChampionshipScotland v Wales preview: Clash in Edinburgh promises to be game of the round in Women's Six Nations4 HOURS AGO She said: «It was an amazing achievement.

You don't really expect it to come, but when it does, you have to grab it with both hands. »It was quite weird singing the national anthem.

I spoke to a couple of players before and they told me to just soak it all in, it is going to be an amazing atmosphere — and it was. «I think she [Hunter] is everything you read about the ultimate captain.

She leads by example. 'We understand how much we are inspiring' — Harries overwhelmed by Wales team Dupont named Six Nations player of the championship ahead of Irish stars »When she is speaking, you are listening — it is that kind of environment, obviously I have only played against her before in the Allianz Premier 15s, so it was nice that her last cap was my first and I got to play with the legend that is Sarah Hunter." Six Nations Rugby, the official organising body responsible for the TikTok Women's Six Nations, broke all fan engagement records in 2022 and highlighted its commitment to giving the women's game the best possible platform to