'Jamie George in Camp' - 5 Talking Points: Red Roses Press Conference Ahead of Wales Women's Six Nations Clash

Mitchell was joined as normal by his Red Roses captain Marlie Packer today, and the duo addressed the media ahead of their second round battle. There is palpable excitement heading into this Anglo-Welsh clash, with the localised venue of Ashton Gate set to bring in over 18,000 fans from either side of the River Severn, and set a new attendance record for a Red Roses match not held at Twickenham.

Mitchell cleared up a couple of updates, as Helena Rowland is out for the clash with Wales with a finger injury. Amy Cokayne is back in the training group after returning from injury, yet the front rower misses out on the match-day 23 to play Wales.

From having England men's captain Jamie George visiting the Red Roses camp, to the ongoing re-shuffle in Mitchell's midfield, here are the five biggest talking points from today's press conference.

Mitchell and Packer discussed how they had a special visitor in the camp this week, as England men's captain Jamie George appeared at Pennyhill Park. The front-rower was said to have participated in some competitive matches of darts with the Red Roses, and helped out in a hookers' line-out masterclass, as Lark Atkin-Davies, Connie Powell, Amy Cokayne and May Campbell were all in camp.

JOHN MITCHELL: "Obviously, I've worked with Jamie before, he's a good human being. It didn't. It wasn't forced, he connected out to me, I've kept in touch with him, since my departure as a coach, and obviously wished him well for the Six Nations, and those kind of things.

"And even way back he just said look, yeah, when I got this role, he said, 'If you ever need any help with the girls just say'. So he was the one that actually encouraged it for this situation. And we made it work, and I think the girls enjoyed it."

"We've (Mitchell and George) been speaking about it two weeks ago, around the timing of coming in. "

No, it's just the throwers. I think the guys can offer a lot, and we can have good cross-pollination between the specialist players. So it's not something that we'll try and do in abundance but we you know, the nines will also probably benefit from you know, from some kicking connections as well. So yeah, I think it's a starting point, which is fantastic."

MARLIE PACKER: "I really enjoyed it (the darts tournament). Jamie came in off the back of it. Because they did a couple of competitive games within the training session, yeah, we did enjoy it."

"I think just as and when it happens with it, we don't want to force it like they've obviously got their own programmes the same as ours, and the timing needs to be right for both. Because you don't want someone being in (camp) that doesn't want to be there. So you want them to be there, but also that club connection as well.

"Like Jamie's also been doing some work with me at Saracens. So it's not all in test level. So it's not just about here at the Red Roses with Jamie, it's also Saracens, the work that he's been doing with me there. I think like obviously other players see that being done, they want to be doing it with their girls, I know Bristol Bears do a lot with them. So actually, it's just really good."

"I wished him luck at the beginning of the (Six Nations) tournament and the same other way round. A few of them text me for my 100^th cap and wished me good luck. Not too much about being captain."

After making her triumphant return from an MCL injury last weekend, England lock Zoe Aldcroft is getting set to achieve a career milestone against Wales. Aldcroft will run out for her 50th career cap, as Wales make the short trip over the bridge and descend upon Ashton Gate.

The Gloucester-Hartpury talent is well versed with the Wales squad, as 13 of her teammates were named in Ioan Cunningham's Women's Six Nations playing group. Speaking on the accomplishment of the lock, Packer, Mitchell and back-row Sadia Kebeya shared their thoughts.

JOHN MITCHELL: "She's come back from a huge injury. It probably wasn't the way we planned her to go to the tone of it, but it just sort of demonstrates her capacity to go the distance. Yeah, she's a world class lock. She demonstrated that consistently last year. And she demonstrated that again, on the weekend. She's got a huge capacity, huge competitor loves a contest. And you know, we're very fortunate to have her on our team."

MARLIE PACKER: "She's a massive competitor, true Red Rose, everything she does is at the forefront of being able to then put the best performance on the pitch. She's like a Springer Spaniel in training when we're doing walkthroughs at line-outs. And, you know, we're letting the opposition take the ball, she always always the first one up with her hands stealing the ball. She can't help herself! And you know, when she speaks the girls listen."

SADIA KEBEYA: "Yeah, Zoe is definitely not a spotlight person. So I think she'll just kind of keep it under wraps. Probably until the day of the game, but Zoe Aldcroft, she's such a leader up in the England squad and I think she shows that week in, week out, you know, and training her standard never drops.

"On the game days, I think she always shows up. So I think for her, the squad is incredibly proud of her as well. But she's really come into a leadership role over the passed four seasons with England, be it with through vice captain, I think she's someone who leads by example, leads by her actions more so than what she says.

"So I think on the day, there'll be a lot of celebrations, you know, being able to receive that cap but also, I think the team will really come around her after the game. You don't want too much attention pre-game."

The England midfield has undergone a reshuffle, with Mitchell again trying out new combinations in the early goings of the Women's Six Nations. There is no place in the squad for Emily Scarratt, and Helena Rowland misses out of the Wales test through injury.

The starting centres from the Italy opener have been replaced by Tatyana Heard and Meg Jones, with Jones in particular excited for this fixture. Born in Cardiff, Jones admitted earlier this week how her Welsh Dad has split allegiances to this fixture, in what will be her first run-out against Wales. Mitchell spoke at length about Jones' involvement, and the reasons behind the change-up in the centre of the park.

JOHN MITCHELL: "Tat's (Tatyana Heard) is coming in on the game line. She's, able to do that, there's one of her big strengths. Yes, she's got a really positive personality as well. So she's really keen. And then Meg is a little dynamo isn't she, like she's quick. She's a triple threat as well and a huge competitor And they've played together before, which is I think is a good combination."

"We have a particular way that we play. She's (Emily Scarratt) probably not as quick as he used to be, which I believe that an outside centre needs to be. But she possesses probably the almost the softest hands and the best distribution in the backline, and so we want to use that skill set."

"So it's her (Meg Jones') first test match against Wales. Like speaking to her briefly about it, like the family is amazing. She's a rugby player and they're in the rest of the family are obviously supporting her. But outside of that they generally don't follow rugby. So they get quite a nice balance. See about this weekend obviously she's going to be well supported by her family but she says she's a very focused athlete, very focused person who likes to likes to succeed."

Sydney Gregson is set to make her return to England action, having been on the sidelines for an extended time. The Saracen centre has battled back from a series of brutal MCL and ACL injuries, and is looking to build upon her three England caps that she accrued as far back as 2015. Gregson has also spent time with the England Sevens set-up, as has been welcomed back by her club and country captain Packer, as well as head coach Mitchell.

MARLIE PACKER: "I think just resilience is absolutely amazing, what she's done and you know, to keep getting up from injury and keep battling it and keep knocking on the door. It's just amazing from her I think, you know, her caps back when she got them, a lot of the England girls have moved across to sevens so the door opened.

"She took that and then I think injuries came along which is not made it possible to be around for selection recently. But you know, the way she played for Saracens this season coming off the back of doing her ACL just shows what incredible player she is."

JOHN MITCHELL: "She's probably been the most consistent outside centre in the PWR. She's demonstrated really good power. She's probably one of the most powerful backs that we have as someone of that stature. She just has a really fighting attitude. Yeah, she's a real competitor.

"And then off the field she's an extremely good character for for the group. So I like her energy and the girls really enjoy it as well. I think if you go back to the experience of the first few tests, I think the maturity now the age that she is, she's definitely ready for test rugby again."

A major talking point of England's opening Women's Six Nations win over Italy, was Sarah Beckett's eleventh minute sending off after foul play at the ruck. Beckett was initially sent to the bunker, for her 'croc roll' clear-out to go under the scrutiny of the off field reviewers, and unfortunately for the number eight, Beckett was then shown a red card from the referee.

It was confirmed that Beckett has been issued with a three match ban for the offence, as the rugby officials clamp down on the illegal method of removing a player from the breakdown. Beckett will miss England's upcoming matches against Wales, Scotland and Ireland, yet will remain in camp with the Red Roses, with the plan of a return for the France finale.

This rules out the possibility of Poppy Cleall returning to the Red Roses squad, after the back-rower was left out of the wider group upon Mitchell's squad update. Beckett's Gloucester-Hartpury teammate Alex Matthews will instead pack down the back of the scrum, with Micthell issuing the following thoughts on the selection.

JOHN MITCHELL: "Yeah, it's disappointing for Sarah, because she only actually contributed a few minutes. Naturally, you get around and support your teammate. It was a race to the breakdown, she didn't quite get it right. And obviously, there's a consequence, but she will, she'll get over it. She's a strong person, and she will now have to just present herself, you know, with really good conditioning and be available for the French selection."

"Definitely. Obviously, I did need to chat to her before we depart today, but yeah, definitely, there will be plans in place for her to be available for France, for France selection."

"Alex Matthews is again a world class number eight. She demonstrated again last year. If you look at the selection, it's their team has a lot of belief. They perform very well in WXV.I believe it's a big, big thing. So yeah, players are chasing each other, which is good as well. So it's gonna be a competition. Poppy Cleall we'll just have to wait for her opportunity."