ENGLAND welcome back Worcester’s flying winger Kat Merchant to the starting line-up as the reigning Six Nations women’s champions look to secure a record seventh successive crown — and a Grand Slam — against Ireland at Esher on Saturday (2pm).

Although head coach Gary Street has kept his pack unchanged, he has made a handful of changes in the back-line which sees Merchant, who has scored an impressive 37 tries in 43 appearances for England, return to action for the first time since their Six Nations victory against Italy a month ago.

Worcester loosehead prop Laura Keates has kept her place in the number one jersey, while fellow Sixways team-mates, prop Rochelle Clark and fly-half Ceri Large, are among the replacements.

Street, whose side have scored 138 points and conceded just six en route to the final round, said: “Kat gives us some great experience in the back-line and she is a potent attacking player and that could be vital on Saturday in what I am expecting to be a very close game.”

Saturday’s match is set to be a thriller with both England and Ireland still in the hunt to claim the Six Nations crown.