When Ellie Kildunne was told she'd be starting on the wing rather than her usual full-back position for Saturday's Women's Six Nations match against Scotland, she didn't hesitate. The 26-year-old England star simply moved. It was, said defence coach Sarah Hunter, typical of the squad's mindset right now.

England arrive in Edinburgh missing a remarkable amount of experience — three starting locks are pregnant, another has been ruled out with a leg injury, a prop is sidelined with an ankle problem, and number eight Alex Matthews won't play due to a shoulder injury. "I think it's quite unheard of within an England squad over the years," Hunter admitted.

But rather than mourn what's missing, the Red Roses are reframing the challenge entirely. "In a four-year cycle, it's almost good that we're having this situation now," Hunter said. "We can grow and develop some of the younger players coming through — it might be accelerating them a little bit."

That growth will be on vivid display at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, where more than 25,000 fans are expected — the biggest stand-alone women's sporting fixture in Scotland's history. Bristol's 19-year-old Demelza Short makes her debut in the back row, while Gloucester-Hartpury's Emma Sing, a long-range kicking specialist, earns her chance at full-back. Maud Muir marks her 50th cap at tighthead.

The positional switches required creative problem-solving. Back row Abi Burton moves to lock, where England's depth has been most severely tested. When the coaches asked, she simply said, "Alright, I'll put my head in there." Hunter called her "such a brilliant character" — a player willing to do anything for an England shirt.

Kildunne's move to the wing is her first Six Nations start in that position. Her explosive running skills may shine differently from out wide, though she'll need to adapt quickly to new defensive responsibilities. Scotland fly-half Helen Nelson and Sale wing Rhona Lloyd, who has scored 11 league tries this season, will certainly test that adjustment.

Yet Hunter expressed confidence in both Kildunne and Sing. "Ellie's a world-class player and has that versatility," she said. "Emma Sing has been brilliant all season at full-back, so rightly she deserves the opportunity." Her verdict on the pairing: "It's pretty exciting to get two such in-form players playing alongside each other."

England are chasing their eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations title — a streak built largely by many of the players now absent. The hope in camp is that the enforced changes will forge the next generation while maintaining that dominance. Scotland, revelling in their record crowd, will have other ideas. But whatever happens, a new wave of Red Roses will have tasted the arena.