Rugby / Bristol Bears Women
Bristol Bears lock Delaney Burns to make England debut
Bristol Bears’ Delaney Burns will be making her England debut on Sunday against Italy in the Six Nations.
Her Bristol teammate Sarah Bern is also in the starting XV, with fellow Bear Lark Davies named as a finisher and Simi Pam joining the squad as a non-playing reserve.
Burns has been an ever-present member of the Bears team this season while Pam was named Bristol24/7’s sportsperson of the year in 2021. Bern will be winning her 54th England cap at the weekend, while Davies has played 45 times for her country.
England head coach Simon Middleton said: “Delaney Burns has impressed us immensely. Her line-out and set piece understanding is strong and she deserves her start.”
Bristol head coach Dave Ward said: “We are incredibly proud at Bears for Delaney and the opportunity for her to play for the Red Roses. It’s a huge testament to the work she’s put in and we can’t wait to see her in a white shirt.”
Twenty-one-year-old Burns was part of Bristol’s Centre of Excellence programme before making the move to the senior squad at the beginning of the 2019/20 season.
During the 2021/22 season, Burns made her debut for England U20s and made five appearances.
In Edinburgh on Saturday, four Bears players – Gwenllian Pyrs, Keira Bevan, Elinor Snowsill and Courtney Keight – will all start in Wales’ match against Scotland.
Elsewhere, Bears’ Centre of Excellence star Lauren Bailey has been named in the England Under-18 squad to compete in their home Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival at Wellington College; and Bears Academy prop Louie Trevett has been named in a 26-player England Under-18 squad to compete in the Under-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival in Dublin.
Main photo: JMP
Read next:
- Simi Pam: Bristol24/7’s sportsperson of 2021
- ‘Player and squad development at Bristol Bears Women is on an exponential rise’
- Bristol student selected for Wales Six Nations squad
- Knowle Wester Ellis Genge named captain of England
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