THE University of Worcester's Gemma Sharples will represent England Women Students when they take on Wales Development at RAF Halton in Aylesbury on Sunday.

Sharples, who plays at blind-side flanker, is in the starting line-up for the first of four international matches this season.

After that match, the Students take on Holland on February 26 at the National Stadium in Amsterdam, the Combined Services on March 19 at Broadstreet RFC followed by a trip to Sweden in April (date and venue yet to be confirmed).

Academy coach Gary Street believes the match will be a big test. He said: "The England Women's Students team is a crucial talent pool and an important part of the England pathway.

"This season we have some very exciting new talent coming through from our regional programmes and the standard of student rugby is getting stronger every year. The Students squad has a real rugby pedigree now which is a fantastic situation for the RFUW to be in.

"We are lucky to have a very interesting fixture list this season and I am very excited about the squad taking on Wales on Sunday. That game will give us a good measure as to where we are this season.

l Dan James from Sinton Green will start on the bench for England Students when they take on France at Twickenham (6pm), immediately after England's Six Nations match with Wales.