International rugby returns to Sunbury this Saturday with England Women kicking off their defence of the RBS SixNations Women's championship against Wales at London Irish RFC (2.30pm), writes Julia Hutton.

England Women are the RBS Six Nations champions and this season will be heading into the campaign hoping to record an unprecedented third consecutive Grand Slam victory in six nations history.

England head coach Gary Street, who has selected 11 London-based players in the 22-woman squad, said: "This is going to be a very exciting campaign and we are delighted to be playing our home games at Sunbury once again.

"We have got a massive task to achieve if we can win the Grand Slam for a third year on the trot, but it is this sort of pressure that gives us extra bite to our game.

"London Irish RFC is a great facility and we tasted success there only a month ago when England and England A inflicted defeats on the USA.

"We have great support for both those games and we hope we will have more of the same for the RBS 6 Nations."

England last played Wales in the final game of last year's RBS 6 Nations and ran out 30-0 winners to clinch the Grand Slam victory. Street, however, is expecting Wales to prove tougher opposition this time around.

He added: "Wales always have incredible determination and spirit.

"We never have an easy game against them and we know we will have to be on top of our game to start the championship with a win.

"They had a good six nations last season, one of their best for many seasons, and they also put in a good performance against Canada in December so we are expecting a very tough game."

England A will also be in action at Sunbury on Saturday (12.30pm), against an impressive Nomads line-up which includes most noticeably last year's England captain Sue Day of Wasps and Vanessa Gray, Georgia Stevens and Karen Andrew who all played for England last season.

Richmond's Karen Jones will lead the A side out against the Nomads.

England will return to Sunbury for their final fixture of the RBS 6 Nations championship on March 15th to take on Ireland (4.45pm). England A will also be in action that day against the Nomads, kick-off 3pm.

England: 1 Rochelle Clark Henley 2 Amy Garnett Saracens 3 Katy Storie Blaydon 4 Tamara Taylor Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 5 Joanna McGilchrist Wasps 6 Sarah Hunter Lichfield 7 Margaret Alphonsi Saracens 8 Catherine Spencer (C) Worcester 9 Amy Turner Richmond 10 Katy McLean Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 11 Michaela Staniford Wasps 12 Rachael Burford Saracens 13 Claire Allan Saracens 14 Danielle Waterman Clifton 15 Charlotte Barras Saracens Replacements: 16 Emma Layland Richmond 17 Sophie Hemming Clifton 18 Sarah Beale Leos 19 Jane Leonard Wasps/Army 20 Alice Richardson Richmond 21 Katherine Merchant Worcester 22 Victoria Massarella Saracens Head Coach Gary Street Assistant Coach Graham Smith England A: 1 Claire Purdy Wasps 2 Samantha Dale Worcester 3 Rosemarie Crowley Lichfield 4 Sara Anastasi Richmond 5 Alexandra Stevens Lichfield 6 Karen Jones (C) Richmond 7 Gemma Sharples Worcester 8 Heidi Shelburg-Naea Wasps 9 Georgina Rozario Plymouth Albion 10 Christina Lee Clifton 11 Helen Price Waterloo 12 Charlotte Boggis Exeter University 13 Vicki Jackson Lichfield 14 Francesca Matthews Richmond 15 Fiona Pocock Richmond Replacements: 16 Samantha Jamieson Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 17 Katherine Smith Richmond 18 Natalie Binstead Wasps 19 Sonia Green Saracens 20 Sarah Guest Worcester 21 Karina Page Old Albanians Saints 22 Georgina Roberts Darlington Mowden Park Sharks Head Coach Mike Barnett Assistant coaches Andy Paton & Gavin Williams