SIX Worcester Rugby Club girls will be wearing the red rose of England with pride this weekend as they lock horns with Wales in the Six Nations Championship.

Scrum-half Joanne Yapp and wing Nicky Crawford are starting for England in Sunday's opening clash at Newport RFC's Rodney Parade ground, kick-off 12 noon, while fly-half Karen Andrew has been named as a replacement in the squad.

Meanwhile, hooker Nicola Goodwin and flanker Alex Pilkington will be representing England 'A' against Wales on Saturday with Jaine Lock named on the bench. The game at the University of Wales' Institute of Cardiff's (UWIC) ground, kicks off at 11am.

The full England side have never lost to Wales in the former Home Nations and Five Nations Championships and coach Geoff Richards is well aware that record can work both ways.

He said: "It's obviously a record that we are proud of and want to continue on Sunday but a passionate Wales side will be determined to turn it around.

"They will feel they have nothing to lose because of the history so we will have to play to our potential because we know anything could be on the cards in front of their home crowd."

Richards was hoping for a crowd of around five or six thousand people in Newport and wants to put on a show for the public.

"I guess we go into the tournament as favourites and on the back of an encouraging Canada Cup display last year, we are confident."

England finished runners-up to world champions New Zealand in the September tournament and the coach is looking for his side to build on their continued development with the 2002 World Cup around the corner.