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England utility back Helena Rowland will start at inside centre in a much-changed team for their Women’s Six Nations opener against Ireland at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.<\/b><\/p>\n
Centre Tatyana Heard, 31, has been a regular under head coach John Mitchell and started the Rugby World Cup final win over Canada<\/a> in September, but was ruled out of the Six Nations with a foot injury.<\/p>\n Rowland, who has played for her country in every backline position other than scrum-half, is one of eight changes to the starting team that won England’s first World Cup in 11 years at a sold-out 82,000-capacity Allianz Stadium.<\/p>\n More than 75,000 tickets have been sold for the game against Ireland, England’s first since becoming world champions.<\/p>\n It is a fresh half-back pairing with Lucy Packer and Holly Aitchison coming in for Natasha Hunt and Zoe Harrison.<\/p>\n Loughborough Lightning lock Lilli Ives Campion replaces Bristol Bears lock Abbie Ward – one of four England women’s players to announce they are pregnant.<\/a><\/p>\n