Liz Crake goes from dentist chair to grand slam decider as England look for bite

Dentist and lecturer Liz Crake has been named on the bench for England’s grand slam decider against France on Sunday as Kelsey Clifford has been ruled out with injury.

Crake, who has two caps, was called into the squad after Hannah Botterman was ruled out of the entire Six Nations with an ankle issue. Second-choice loosehead prop Clifford picked up a leg injury against Italy last weekend and so Mackenzie Carson will start and the head coach, John Mitchell, who said he has had been forced into 20 player changes across the tournament because of pregnancy and injury, is having to test his side’s depth.

Crake, 31, did have a contract with England in the 2024-25 season but has had to turn back to dentistry for this campaign. She is not the only part-time professional player to compete for the Red Roses during this Six Nations. Christiana Balogun, who works as a recruitment consultant, came off of the bench against Italy because of an injury to Maddie Feaunati.

The Rugby Football Union has 32 full-time contracts in place for Red Roses players. Those who are not contracted get paid for the days they are in camp and a matchday fee.

The captain Meg Jones said: “The players [Crake and Balogun] are full of resilience, the way they are able to come in and switch on and switch off based on their other circumstances as well. It’s definitely probably one of those things that you take for granted when you’ve been in it [professionalism] for so long.

“I think I’ve been pro now for over 10 years, which is huge but there’s still players within the PWR and still having to come into England’s setups as well and still having to earn their cash and their way to live as well.

“We’re fully aware of that. We empathise. But to be honest with you, you wouldn’t notice any difference. They understand when you come in, you’re switched on and this is the game at hand and this is what you have to turn up for.”

England have been given a boost before Le Crunch with Sadia Kabeya, Lilli Ives Campion and Feaunati returning from injury as three of seven changes Mitchell has made to his starting XV. Kabeya will start at openside flanker, which means Marlie Packer drops to the bench despite being the tournament’s top try scorer with seven.

Feaunati will be at No 8 and Campion slots back in at lock. Sarah Bern also starts in the front row, with Maud Muir on the bench.

In the back line Jess Breach and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald are back as the wing pairing, with Ellie Kildunne shifting to full-back.

The Red Roses will win their eighth Six Nations title in a row if they beat France in Bordeaux.