England’s Red Roses Boosted by Ben Youngs’ Specialized Training Session
On the eve of their Women’s Six Nations clash with Ireland, England’s Red Roses have received a timely boost thanks to a specialized training session from Ben Youngs, England’s most-capped male rugby player. The scrum halves in John Mitchell’s unbeaten squad were put through their paces by the experienced Youngs, who concluded his international career after last year’s Rugby World Cup.
The session, which was overseen by attack coach Lou Meadows and kicking consultant Andy Holloway, saw Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Lucy Packer, and Ella Wyrwas focus particularly on their box kicking as they prepare for Saturday’s fixture at Twickenham. The venue holds special significance for the Red Roses, having hosted a record-breaking crowd of around 50,000 for their Grand Slam-clinching match against France a year ago.
“I think the guys can offer a lot, and we can have good cross-pollination between the specialist players,” Mitchell said. “It’s not something that we’ll try and do in abundance, but the nines will also probably benefit from some kicking connections as well.”
With England favored to defend their Six Nations crown for a sixth consecutive year, Mitchell has bolstered his coaching staff, mirroring the support the men’s team receives. Hooker Jamie George recently worked with the team’s front-rowers, and now Youngs has shared his expertise with the scrum halves, in what the head coach believes can be a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Despite the positive preparation, England will be without hooker Amy Cokayne for the Ireland match, as she was handed a one-match ban following a yellow card incident in the previous round. However, the team remains unbeaten and is widely tipped to secure a Grand Slam, with a clash against France in Bordeaux next week potentially deciding the championship.
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