The China Mail - England's Botterman and Campbell out of Women's Six Nations

Prop forward Botterman needs a second operation on an ankle injury suffered while on Bristol duty in December and hooker Campbell is to undergo surgery on a knee problem next week.

World champions England will also be without Alex Matthews for Saturday's match away to Scotland because of a shoulder problem the No 8 suffered in their tournament-opening 33-12 win over Ireland at Twickenham last weekend.

Bristol Bears second row Delaney Burns and Saracens prop Liz Crake have been called into England's squad as cover.

News of Botterman and Campbell's withdrawals comes just three days after England announced scrum-half Natasha Hunt and lock Morwenna Talling would miss the rest of the Six Nations with leg injuries.

England were already missing pregnant the pregnant trio of World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan -- each of them second rows, although Stratford can also be deployed at flanker.

But such is England's strength in depth compared to that of other leading women's rugby union nations, they will still be overwhelming favourites to defeat Scotland at Murrayfield.

The Red Roses' victory over Ireland extended their record winning run to 34 games, with England chasing an eighth straight Six Nations title and fifth consecutive Grand Slam.

England coach John Mitchell is due to name his side to play Scotland later Thursday.

C.Smith--ThChM