Jones, who has 11 caps for England, has been named captain for the A team’s second international of the season. England A were last in action against the USA in December and won 34-17.
There have been several changes to the team that took on the USA last year, including starts for Lichfield trio Rosemarie Crowley, Alexandra Stevens and Vicki Jackson, Clifton fly-half Christina Lee, Exeter University’s Charlotte Boggis and Richmond duo Francesca Matthews and Fiona Pocock. Plymouth Albion’s Georgina Rozario also returns to A team action at scrum-half after making her full England debut against the USA.
The Nomads, who England A will also play on March 15th, have named an experienced squad including 11 former England players, most noticeably last year’s England captain Sue Day of Wasps and Vanessa Gray, Georgia Stevens and Karen Andrew who all played for England last season. England’s captain for the 2006 IRB Rugby World Cup Jo Yapp will also start the game at scrum-half.
England A Head Coach Mike Barnett said: “We have made several changes for this match, some forced and some tactical and this is providing us with the opportunity to bring some more young players through the ranks. In Rozario and Lee we will have a new half-back partnership, as well as a new centre combination in Boggis and Jackson.
“It certainly will be a tough match against the Nomads who have named an impressive squad. We knew they would select some very experienced players and that is exactly what we want. We want to play against high quality opposition that will test and challenge our players in every area.
“We are going into this game on the back of a good win against the USA and some good preparation time so we are looking forward to a match that I know will test every player on the field on Saturday.”
England A
1 Claire Purdy Wasps
2 Samantha Dale Worcester
3 Rosemarie Crowley Lichfield
4 Sara Anastasi Richmond
5 Alexandra Stevens Lichfield
6 Karen Jones (C) Richmond
7 Gemma Sharples Worcester
8 Heidi Shelburg-Naea Wasps
9 Georgina Rozario Plymouth Albion
10 Christina Lee Clifton
11 Helen Price Waterloo
12 Charlotte Boggis Exeter University
13 Vicki Jackson Lichfield
14 Francesca Matthews Richmond
15 Fiona Pocock Richmond
Replacements:
16 Samantha Jamieson Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
17 Katherine Smith Richmond
18 Natalie Binstead Wasps
19 Sonia Green Saracens
20 Sarah Guest Worcester
21 Karina Page Old Albanians Saints
22 Georgina Roberts Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Head Coach Mike Barnett
Assistant coaches Andy Paton & Gavin Williams
England A Women Fixtures
Feb 2nd England v Nomads London Irish RFC, Sunbury, KO 1230pm
Feb 9th Spain v England A, Stadium of the University City of Madrid, KO 4pm local time
Feb 23 France A v England A, Bourgoin, KO TBC
March 15th England A v Nomads, London Irish RFC, Sunbury, KO 3pm
