Carson is the only uncapped player named in the Red Roses starting team to take on Scotland at Kingston Park, although there are a further three who are set to make their England debuts from the bench in fellow props Liz Crake and Kelsey Clifford and scrum-half Ella Wyrwas.
Vancouver-born Carson described the past three weeks as a “whirlwind”, but almost five years on from earning her first Test cap for Canada in England, said it was a “pretty unique opportunity to get to do it twice.”
“Playing for England is something that everyone dreams of doing, obviously my path to getting here has been a bit unconventional I guess but it’s definitely been an aspiration of mine since moving here a few years ago and playing in the Premier 15s,” said Carson, who fell out of selection for Canada due to long-term injuries and the break caused by the Covid pandemic.
Holly Aitchison will start at fly-half in place of the injured Zoe Harrison, who has been ruled out of the campaign, while Sarah Hunter will co-captain the team with Marlie Packer. Lucy Packer starts at scrum-half after Natasha Hunt, the in-form Gloucester-Hartpury nine, was ruled out with a calf injury.
Middleton ended his press conference by paying tribute to Hunter, who will retire on Saturday after earning her 141st cap. The Red Roses captain was reduced to tears as he described how she had been his “rock” over the past two World Cup cycles.
“Every coach needs a rock that they can lean on when they need to,” said Middleton, who will step down from the Red Roses at the end of the Six Nations. She’s helped me massively to develop and manage the squad, and develop myself unquestionably, as a coach, but more so as a person.
“It’s been a partnership. It was never scheduled to end like this but that’s how it’s worked out. It’s fitting that we’re bowing out together.”
England team to play Scotland:
15. Abby Dow (Harlequins, 30 caps)
14. Jess Breach (Saracens, 24 caps)
13. Lagi Tuima (Harlequins, 12 caps)
12. Amber Reed (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
11. Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
10. Holly Aitchison (Saracens, 15 caps)
9. Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 9 caps)
1. Mackenzie Carson (Saracens, uncapped)
2. Amy Cokayne (Harlequins, 70 caps)
3. Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
4. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 38 caps)
5. Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 63 caps)
6. Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 8 caps)
7. Marlie Packer (CC; Saracens, 89 caps)
8. Sarah Hunter (CC; Loughborough Lightning, 140 caps)
Replacements:
16. Lark Davies (Bristol Bears, 44 caps)
17. Liz Crake (Wasps, uncapped)
18. Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, uncapped)
19. Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 24 caps)
20. Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 25 caps)
21. Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, uncapped)
22. Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 9 caps)
23. Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 2 caps)
