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On England head coach John Mitchell's 60th birthday yesterday: "The girls were very kind and obviously at some stage someone had been up to something and created some masks [of Mitchell's face]!

"It was awesome, but there was some preparation to it and a good balance.

"I would like to get off to a good start and I am sure it is going to be sticky for us in periods."

On team selection: "Ultimately there is a lot of girls coming back and I want to get them back in England shirts and I don't want to leave them guessing - there will be some good nerves."

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England captain Marlie Packer steps out beaming into the Parma sunshine on the occasion of her 100th cap.

She welcomes each of her team-mates onto the field with a hug as they line up for the anthems.

The players are in the tunnel and we're almost ready to go.

A quick reminder of the line-ups before we get going.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, D'Inca; Madia, Stefan; Maris, Turani, Seye, Fedrighi, Tounesi, Locatelli, Sgorbini, Cavina.

Replacements: Gurioli, Stecca, Gai, Pilani, Duca, Frangipani, Stevanin, Granzotto.

England: Kildunne; Dow, Rowland, Scarratt, Breach; Harrison, Packer; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Aldcroft, Ward, Kabeya, Packer, Beckett.

Replacements: Powell, Carson, Muir, Feaunati, Matthews, Hunt, Aitchison, Jones.

Maggie Alphonsi
2014 England World Cup winner on BBC Two

I think it's going to be competitive this Six Nations. It has always been a two-horse race between France and England, but that gap is closing.

I think England are still the favourites, but the standard of rugby has got better and anything could happen.

This one could get a bit one-sided on the scoreboard, but England head coach John Mitchell is convinced Italy will do their best to serve up a cracker.

"We know they will play from 100 metres out as that is the way they express themselves and the way they like to play," he said.

"They won't die wondering and certainly will keep attacking."

Here's hoping.

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BBC Two

This one is live on BBC Two.

Pop it on your TV or click play at the top of this page.

England are after a third successive Grand Slam and a sixth successive Six Nations title. They beat Italy 68-5 in last year's Six Nations.

Understandably, then, captain Packer says the scoreboard isn't her side's only focus.

"We need to make sure we perform in each game and it is not just about the points on the board, it is how we come off as players," she said.

"We have targets in defence and attack that we want to hit in those games and that for us will define if this Six Nations has been successful."

John Mitchell took over from Simon Middleton as England head coach last autumn, but this will be his first Women's Six Nations in charge.

The stakes are high as England bid for their sixth successive title in the tournament and Mitchell is clear on what he wants from his side.

"We need to play quicker," he told BBC Sport. "Our game is developing in the right way, but we want to get quicker at it. I would love us to create even more pressure.

"We want to make sure we can attack the opposition or convert in different ways, not just the primary area of the forwards."

This should be fun then.

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There are a few familiar faces in Italy's line-up.

Centre Beatrice Rigoni - always fun to watch - plays her club rugby at Sale Sharks alongside lock Sara Tounesi, while hooker Silvia Turani is at Harlequins.

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Italy: Minuzzi; Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, D'Inca; Madia, Stefan; Maris, Turani, Seye, Fedrighi, Tounesi, Locatelli, Sgorbini, Cavina.

Replacements: Gurioli, Stecca, Gai, Pilani, Duca, Frangipani, Stevanin, Granzotto.

There are a couple of exciting injury returners for England.

Zoe Harrison is back at fly-half and Emily Scarratt returns at inside centre.

Abbie Ward starts at lock for the first time since giving birth.

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England: Kildunne; Dow, Rowland, Scarratt, Breach; Harrison, Packer; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Aldcroft, Ward, Kabeya, Packer, Beckett.

Replacements: Powell, Carson, Muir, Feaunati, Matthews, Hunt, Aitchison, Jones.

France's bonus-point win against Ireland has them top of the table currently, with Scotland's narrow victory against Wales putting them second.

Image source, BBC Sport

Red Roses captain Marlie Packer is set to earn her 100th England cap when she takes to the field at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma - and she is not planning on stopping any time soon.

"I am a 100 not out, that's the way I see it," she said.

"I see the 2025 home World Cup and I have younger players at my heels wanting my position."

The 2023 World Player of the Year will become the sixth most-capped England women's player of all time - tied with Amy Garnett.

Packer added: "For me I have to keep pushing myself and making sure that this shirt is an incredible place.

"Right now I feel I have got so much more to give to the Red Roses."

There's only one place to start this live text really. It's a big day for England's skipper.

The 2024 Women's Six Nations is go for England!

Wales and Scotland delivered the goods in their tight round-one match yesterday - will we have as much peril in Parma today?

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