Holly Aitchison is set to earn her 50th cap for England when she starts at fly-half in the Red Roses' opening match of the WXV Global Series against Australia on Saturday at Manchester's CorpAcq Stadium. Aitchison, 28, has been a key player for England this year, starting two of their victories during their Six Nations Grand Slam. However, she has not been the preferred choice for the 10 position in major matches under head coach John Mitchell. This match marks one of five changes from the team that defeated France in the previous game. Several players are returning to the England squad after injuries. Scrum-half Natasha Hunt is back from a knee ligament injury that kept her out since April, while Tatyana Heard, a World Cup winner, makes her first Test appearance of the year after recovering from a foot injury. May Campbell, who has previously only played as a substitute, earns her first Test start due to limited resources at hooker. However, several other players are missing due to injuries or maternity leave, including Amy Cokayne, Connie Powell, and Lark Atkin-Davies. The absences mean back-up hooker Bryony Field, who plays alongside Campbell at Saracens, is set to earn her first senior England cap from the bench. Hannah Botterman, who last played in the 2025 World Cup final, and Morwenna Talling are also ready to return from injury. Gloucester-Hartpury's Mia Venner, who finished joint top of last season's PWR try-scoring charts, comes in on the wing. Aitchison, Heard, and Talling all play for Sale Sharks, whose men's team hosts games at the CorpAcq Stadium, where Saturday's match takes place. Head coach John Mitchell expressed his enthusiasm about playing in the North West, recalling his time with Sale Sharks. He emphasized the importance of being present in the community to keep the game healthy. Unlike England's men, who are tied to Twickenham's Allianz Stadium for commercial reasons, the Red Roses often play away matches. After this match, England will face Canada for the first time since their World Cup final win last year, before finishing their home leg of the WXV series against New Zealand. Australia has named uncapped Amelia Whitaker on the wing, while 19-year-old Caitlyn Halse is included at full-back. England holds an 8-0 record against Australia in their previous meetings.