Hunter, 36, suffered the injury during the 69-0 victory over Ireland on Sunday; England face France in Bayonee on Saturday at 2.15pm; Follow along with live updates from the Women's Six Nations decider on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app
Wednesday 27 April 2022 06:16, UK
England captain Sarah Hunter will miss Saturday's Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France with a rib injury.
The 36-year-old number eight suffered a rib injury in the 69-0 mauling of Ireland in round four and will not recover in time to face the Red Roses' closest rivals, with Poppy Cleall set to fill the void in the back row.
Hunter won her 134th cap on Sunday and her experience means she will still travel to France to assist with preparations.
England and France have enjoyed immaculate progress to their Grand Slam decider after each amassing four successive bonus-point victories.
The two teams will play at the Stade Jean Dauger in Bayonne on Saturday, with England looking to win a fourth consecutive Six Nations title.
Follow along with live updates from the Women's Six Nations decider between France and England from 2.15pm on Saturday, via skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
Wales, who lost 33-5 to France last week, are third in the standings with 10 points and will play fifth-placed Italy in Cardiff earlier on Saturday.
Ireland are five points behind Wales in fifth and will host bottom side Scotland, who are without a win, in Belfast later in the day.
Scotland 5-57 England
England openside Marlie Packer scored a hat-trick as the Red Roses cruised to an opening 57-5 Six Nations victory over Scotland in Edinburgh.
The visitors notched nine tries in total at the DAM Health Stadium, coming through Packer (three), prop Cleall, wing Heather Cowell, wing Abby Dow, scrum-half Leanne Infante, centre Holly Aitchison and replacement hooker Connie Powell.
Outside-centre Emily Scarratt added five conversions, and Helena Rowland one. For Scotland, their only points came via a try for full-back Chloe Rollie, though they were unfortunate not to score more.
Italy 0-74 England
Lydia Thompson grabbed a hat-trick and Scarratt notched her 50th England try as the Red Roses cruised to a 74-0 victory over Italy.
The bonus point was already secured by half-time in Parma as tries from Thompson and fellow winger McKenna, plus scores from forwards Lark Davies, Shaunagh Brown and Alex Matthews helped England into a 31-0 lead at the break.
Thompson was over for her second within two minutes of the restart and put the seal on England's victory with the final action of the match, while centre Scarratt came off the bench to notch her half-century of tries for the national team.
Her fellow replacements Vicky Fleetwood, Sarah Bern and Emma Sing also went over, along with McKenna grabbing her second of the game. Meanwhile, Italy's misery was compounded by having Beatrice Rigoni sin-binned inside the final 10 minutes.
England 58-5 Wales
England registered a third dominant victory of their Six Nations title defence, beating Wales 58-5 at Kingsholm in Round 3 of the championship.
First-half tries arrived via Davies, Abbie Ward and the returning Jess Breach to put the Red Roses 19-0 ahead at the break.
Into the second period, Davies and Breach each added second scores to their name, while Bern, Matthews, Brown, Scarratt and Sarah Hunter all crossed for tries too. Zoe Harrison added four conversions in the victory.
England 69-0 Ireland
England's Red Roses scored nine second-half tries as they pulled away to claim a 69-0 victory over Ireland at Leicester's Welford Road.
Davies (two), Bern, Packer, Thompson (two), Cleall (two), prop Hannah Botterman and replacement back Ellie Kildunne (two) scored England's tries.
The Test was played out in front of 15,836 supporters at Welford Road - a new record for a women's rugby match in England - and saw Scarratt given a guard of honour as she took to the field for her 100th cap.
