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England scrum-half Natasha Hunt says the inaugural British and Irish Lions women's tour to New Zealand - the first Test of which is a year away - is a massive motivation as she prepares to make her comeback from injury.

The 37-year-old sustained knee ligament damage during England's Six Nations opener against Ireland in April.

She was sidelined for the rest of the Red Roses' Grand-Slam winning campaign and Gloucester-Hartpury's run to the PWR semi-finals, but starts at nine against Australia.

"I've been fortunate enough to have played in Team GB Sevens set-ups twice over," said Hunt, a veteran of the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

"That was some of my favourite, most enjoyable rugby, just mixing cultures, everyone having a common goal and coming together really quickly to try to get something special done.

"I think every player that is close to playing for their country in those four nations is thinking about it. And if they say they're not, they're lying!"

Hunt sets sights on Lions tour after injury return

One year until first women's Lions Test - will it be a success?

Another talking point to keep an eye on...

Marlie Packer, among the replacements for England, is just three tries away from overtaking Sue Day as England's leading women's try-scorer.

The back row has scored 59 tries in 116 caps.

One of the major talking points for the WXV Global Series is the introduction of a smaller ball.

World Rugby is trialling a size 4.5 ball - about 3% smaller than the size five used in the men's game (and typically used in the women's game), but the same weight.

Early opinions are split.

Wales winger Lisa Neumann says "it's changed the game" for her passing because of improved grip on the ball but England kicker Helena Rowland has a found a much smaller margin for errors with the smaller ball. There are also questions about the ball's ability to hold its shape.

You can read more here.

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Bryony Field is in line to make her international debut off the bench.

The 25-year-old hooker made more than 50 appearances for Loughborough Lightning before joining Saracens - where she is teammates with starting hooker May Campbell - in 2023.

A former England under-20 international, Field helped Saracens win the PWR league and cup double in 2025-26, including playing the full 80 minutes against Trailfinders in the play-off final.

England head coach John Mitchell told BBC Sport: "Bryony is a very experienced PWR player, a good athlete. She's been knocking on the door for a while."

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Saturday's match against Australia marks a first visit to Salford for the Red Roses - and for Holly Aitchison, it is "like a dream" for her 50th cap to coincide with a match in north-west England.

The fly-half was born in Southport - a little under an hour away - and grew up playing for Firwood Waterloo.

She now plays her club rugby for Sale Sharks, whose men's team call the CorpAcq Stadium home.

"It honestly feels like a dream that it is going to be in the north-west," Aitchison said.

"To get 50 caps anywhere, it was obviously a ridiculous thing to have achieved. I haven't really sat back and reflected on it at all.

"But to have it in the north-west, the first time we've been there in like 20 years, it just feels like a dream. It's going to be magical."

Australia have opted for experimentation in the backs, with Faitala Moleka shifting to inside centre for the first time at Test level. Her previous 31 caps have largely come at fly-half or full-back.

The change allows 19-year-old Caitlyn Halse, who has signed for Leicester for the upcoming PWR season, to start at full-back. She is part of an all-New South Wales back three alongside Desiree Miller and debutant Amelia Whitaker – niece of former Australia and Leinster scrum-half Chris Whitaker.

Siokapesi Palu Sekona captains the side at number eight.

Pia Tapsell earns her first start at blind-side flanker while second row Jemma Bemrose is in line for her international debut off the bench.

Australia: Halse; Whitaker, Friedrichs, Moleka, Miller; Ellis, Wood; Hoy, Merlo, Pohiva, Leaney, Leonard, Tapsell, Bone, Palu Sekona (c)

Replacements: Naden, Sikimeti, Karpani, Bemrose, Duck, Chancellor, Hinds, Smith.

Image source, BBC Sport

Holly Aitchison starts at fly-half on her 50th cap for England, with Zoe Harrison on the bench.

Scrum-half Natasha Hunt returns to the XV after suffering a knee ligament injury in England’s Women’s Six Nations opener against Ireland while centre Tatyana Heard makes her first Test appearance of the year after recovering from a foot injury.

Mia Venner and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald are on the wings either side of Ellie Kildunne.

With Amy Cokayne and Connie Powell absent through injury, May Campbell earns her first start at hooker with Bryony Field expected to debut from the bench.

Also among the replacements and making long-awaited returns from injury are prop Hannah Botterman, who hasn’t played since the World Cup final, and Morwenna Talling.

England XV: Kildunne; Venner, Jones (c), Heard, Moloney-MacDonald; Aitchison, Hunt; Carson, Campbell, Bern, Burns, Ives Campion, Burton, Kabeya, Feaunati

Replacements: Field, Botterman, Muir, Talling, M Packer, L Packer, Harrison, Rowland.

Image source, BBC Sport

The WXV Global Series has replaced the WXV competition, with England winning both editions of the premier section (WXV1) in 2023 and 2024.

It runs from 2026 to 2028 and features the top 12 teams in the world, ensuring more competitive matches are played ahead of the 2029 World Cup in Australia.

National federations and unions choose their own home and away fixtures that are played in September and October.

The new WXV Global Series doesn't have a trophy or table attached to it - it is just about Test matches.

England's upcoming fixtures

• 12 September – England v Australia (Salford)
• 19 September – England v Canada (Exeter)
• 26 September – England v New Zealand (Twickenham)
• 16 October – Canada v England (Toronto)
• 23 October – Canada v England (Ottawa)
• 30 October – USA v England (Harrison, NJ)

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Hello there! Four months after their latest Women's Six Nations triumph, England are back in action.

In the first week of the inaugural WXV Global Series, John Mitchell's Red Roses host Australia at Salford's CorpAcq Stadium.

Kick-off is 45 minutes away.

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