England v Australia significant opportunity for six-cap Burns

England v Australia significant opportunity for six-cap Burns. As Delaney Burns hopes to be selected to face Australia, she talks to BBC Sport about another opportunity to add to her six caps in a so-far whirlwind career.

What happened

With Abbie Ward, Rosie Galligan and Zoe Stratford all away from the squad pregnant or on maternity leave, the upcoming WXV Global Series is a significant opportunity for Burns. England v AustraliaWXV Global Series15:00, 12 SeptemberCorpAcq StadiumWatch on iPlayerDifficult camps and off-field workAs Burns continues to find her feet in the squad, an area she's excelled in off-field has been her work with the Bristol Bears Foundation. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Delaney Burns (centre) made her England debut in 2023BySara OrchardRugby union commentatorPublished40 minutes agoDelaney Burns revealed to her England team-mates that at 15 years old she had a 'short back and sides' – it went down well.

As she prepares to face Australia this Saturday, she has another opportunity to add to her six caps in what has been a whirlwind career so far. Still only 24, Burns won her first three caps for England in 2023, then had to patiently wait for a call-up into the 2026 Six Nations squad to add three more. If selected against Australia, she will have another opportunity to add to her international experience and strengthen her place in an increasingly competitive Red Roses squad, with one of her biggest supporters watching on from the stands.

"Having missed out on one of England's 32-contracted places, she's focusing on her defence this season and wants to reach the next level.

The wider picture

"There's some really deprived areas of Bristol – our whole mantra is to take those areas and do what we can to give the kids in those communities an opportunity, which I find very rewarding. As she seeks a seventh cap against Australia on Saturday, will she take any of her own advice? The stories about old hairstyles may have raised a few smiles among team-mates, but Burns is taking a more serious approach to the season ahead.

Red Roses 36-player squad for WXV Global SeriesForwards: Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 84 caps), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 62 caps), Delaney Burns (Bristol Bears, 6 caps), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, 9 caps), May Campbell (Saracens, 5 caps), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 29 caps), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 25 caps), Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 94 caps), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 27 caps), Bryony Field (Saracens, uncapped), Haidee Head (Trailfinders Women, 1 cap), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, 8 caps), Hayley Jones (Trailfinders Women, uncapped), Sadia Kabeya, (Loughborough Lightning, 32 caps), Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning, 4 caps), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 82 caps), Sophie McQueen (Gloucester-Hartpury, uncapped), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 53 caps), Marlie Packer (Harlequins, 116 caps), Demelza Short (Bristol Bears, 4 caps), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 29 caps)Backs: Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks, 49 caps), Jess Breach (Saracens, 57 caps), Millie David (Bristol Bears, 1 cap), Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 70 caps), Tatyana Heard (Sale Sharks, 36 caps), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 89 caps), Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 38 caps), Ellie Kildunne (Bristol Bears, 62 caps), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 40 caps), Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 44 caps), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 51 caps), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 17 caps), Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury, 4 caps), Bo Westcombe-Evans (Trailfinders Women, 2 caps)Related topicsRugby UnionMore on this storyListen: Sport's Strangest Crimes – BloodgateListen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast

Having been selected to speak at one of the Red Roses 'connection meetings', the 24-year-old admitted she had "never been so nervous to talk in front of a group of people" in her life. But the second-row was a roaring success as she covered her rugby journey, life in Bristol and 'that' haircut. "This is the first kind of campaign that I've been brought in from the start," she says. "Being deemed as a more experienced forward, especially around the line-out, is something I want to hold myself quite high to and we do have a few younger players in the squad now, a few people coming through.

What has been reported

So, I'm just trying to be a bit more of a person of knowledge to look to and help them out and build on my own strength. She coaches and gives talks to girls at schools in the greater Bristol area, covering more than just rugby. "We talk about the menstrual cycle and how it affects you," she says. "Rugby is a really good sport to help with the idea of body image. "We look at the effects that social media has in terms of too much screen time and filtering and AI.

How to stay mentally safe as well as physically safe. "The impact of the work she's done with the foundation has seen the launch of a South Bristol girls team that's attracted 50-60 players and counting. "I should listen to my own voice a bit more, probably," she says.

What happens next

"There are times where I definitely find myself in a bit of a weird headspace, camp is always hard. "It's really rewarding and it's an exciting place to be and I wouldn't change it for the world, but equally it can be quite difficult. So yeah, listening to my own advice probably would be quite beneficial. If selected on Saturday, he'll be making the trip up to Manchester from Poole. "He got me into rugby, trained me and goes to all the games he can," she says.