Millie David was almost speechless when England head coach John Mitchell called to inform her that she would start for the Red Roses against Wales. The 20-year-old wing could only repeat 'thank you so much' despite having more to say. On Saturday, she will realise her England dream at a sold-out Ashton Gate, the home ground of her club, Bristol Bears.
Emotional Reaction
The first thing David did after receiving the call was jump in her car to tell her biggest supporter, her father. 'Bless him, he started crying straight away,' she says. 'We are quite an awkward family so for him to do that in a public place as well just showed how much it meant to him.'
David's selection for the national team seemed inevitable given her rapid rise in the English Premiership. She made her PWR debut in the 2023-24 season and was the joint-top try-scorer in the following campaign. She was named breakthrough player of the season and earned the nickname Millie Whizz when friends joked she saw herself as Jason Robinson, the World Cup-winning England wing known as Billy Whizz.
Balancing Rugby and Academics
David, who is in the third year of a maths degree, had to request a dissertation deadline extension because of a clash with her first cap. She admitted she had put pressure on herself to be named in the 2026 Six Nations squad. 'People don't put that much pressure on me because they know how much pressure I put on myself,' David says. 'My parents didn't put me under any pressure at school because if I did one thing wrong I would be in tears.'
'I am definitely a determined person, a hard worker. Sometimes people need to tell me to chill out a little bit. I just want to be the best at everything, I want to win at everything. I do put a lot of pressure on myself and I think I could be a lot nicer to myself.'
Meeting Her Hero
David has played for England's youth teams and experienced several Red Roses camps but still separates herself from the senior side, referring to Mitchell's team as 'they' and 'this team'. She says she will only feel comfortable using 'we' once she has donned an England shirt. Her inclusion is one of seven changes by Mitchell for his starting XV to play Wales. She will be joined in the back three by Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and Ellie Kildunne, a player she has long admired.
'I think it's a bit weird,' David says. 'You put players you watch on TV on a pedestal. You think of them as not real people but they are just people. Ellie is so nice. The first time I ever met her I cried because I was so anxious about it, whereas now I speak to her all the time. I am going to be playing with her. It was scary at first but you do get used to it. We have been training together for four weeks now. It has been cool to develop relationships with players I have looked up to for so long.'
Match Preview
David, Kildunne and the rest of the England squad will aim to extend their winning streak to 36 matches against Wales after a dominant victory over Scotland last Saturday. The Red Roses are once again strong favourites. Wales's last win against England was in 2015, and Sean Lynn's side have lost captain Kate Williams due to a calf strain. Bethan Lewis will lead the team instead and has said Wales have 'absolutely nothing to lose' in the encounter. David emphasised that England are not underestimating their opponents.
'England v Wales is a historic thing,' she said. 'They have developed a lot under Lynn, they have been performing really well. You can't underestimate anyone in this competition.'
Anthem Experience
Before the action begins, David will experience the national anthem for the first time at senior level. Players usually scan the crowd for loved ones, but she may avoid her father's gaze. 'If I do [spot him] I will be bawling my eyes out,' she said. 'I know for a fact that he will be. We don't show that much emotion but we both know we have a lot of it.'
'He has been there with me through a lot and I have grown quite a lot as a person in the last few years. I am very grateful for what he has done for me.'
