Maddie Feaunati: ‘I'm always pinching myself that this is what I'm doing - I never take it for granted’
Maddie Feaunati made her England debut last year but is starting to become a regular in John Mitchell's plans
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Off the back of a player of the match performance against Italy, Red Roses back row Maddie Feaunati is ready to fire into the second round of the Women’s Six Nations.
It was an outstanding performance from Feaunati in England’s 38-5 win, with her work rate off the charts as she topped the carry count with 16 and also made 16 tackles.
For last weekend’s tournament opener in York, it was a heavily rotated side from John Mitchell with Feaunati, on the occasion of her 11th cap, starting at eight in place of the suspended Alex Matthews.
“I like the power game that the eight brings and I think it suits me well,” Feaunati says.
“Obviously, I've got great people in the squad, like Alex Matthews, so I can keep learning off her.”
Another player in the Red Roses back row Feaunati is eager to learn from is former captain Marlie Packer. The Saracens stalwart has over 100 caps for England, and Feaunati explained why she relishes the chance to play with one of her heroes.
“It's so surreal and exciting,” she says. “I'm always pinching myself that this is what I'm doing right now. I never take it for granted. I just want to keep pushing for more.
“Marlie’s always had me under her wing since I came in, and she always gives me good comms and tips here and there.”
With a home World Cup on the horizon, it makes sense as to why head coach Mitchell is giving opportunities to a variety of players - including Feaunati - as he looks to build the ‘two-team’ depth he talked about pre-tournament.
The side against Italy included seven changes from the last team Mitchell named in WXV1 (v Canada), with debuts handed to Flo Robinson and Jade Shekells as well as a return for Mia Venner for the first time in five years. The Gloucester-Hartpury winger marked her second cap with a try after just three minutes.
And this Saturday is no different for England against Wales, with Mitchell making 13 changes from last weekend.
Feaunati - who starts at No.8 again - and captain Zoe Aldcroft are the only two players to keep their places in the XV while there is a potential debut off the bench for Trailfinders Women's back row Abi Burton.
Despite the alterations in combinations, Feaunati explained that Mitchell’s selection decisions are very clear to the squad.
“The competition is very healthy,” she adds. “It's very clear where each week we are standing. It's something to always either chase or lead on.
“It's all about opportunity and it's just getting excited to play with new people, try new combinations, and they've been going well, and we've been getting to work with a lot of people that we haven't in the past.
“As a player, it's just always keeping us on our feet and excited for more. I enjoy it, and it pushes me just to keep getting better and better.”
It’s clear why this current group of Red Roses so often describe the England environment as healthy.
With his coaching pedigree, Mitchell has entirely bought into this culture and is building a squad that wants to work for each other and is comfortable with one another.
“He [Mitchell] really understands me, and I think that, with a lot of the girls, he really reads into people and understands them as people first rather than just players,” Feaunati says.
“We’re all just learning off each other and buying in as much as each other is so to have our coach, our biggest leader in the team and squad, leading by example, just allows us to follow.”
Despite the bonus point victory against Italy - which took England’s record to 51 wins from their last 52 Tests - it was a slightly cliché game of two haves.
The Red Roses impressed with four tries before the break but only managed one more in the second period through Emma Sing.
Whilst the conditions were testing, the 27 handling errors and the 17 turnovers and 14 penalties conceded will certainly need to be improved upon heading into their clash with Wales at the Principality on Saturday where more than 18,000 tickets have been sold.
“We've been really focusing on our process and what we can build on from the weekend,” Feaunati explains.
“Obviously, we didn't get many points in that second half, but we built opportunity and had an opportunity to execute.
“We can build on that now but getting those five points was crucial.
“We obviously know how exciting it is to be playing at a big stadium for the Welsh girls and the opportunity we get to be there.
“But, if you treat it like something bigger than it is, then you just lose the point so [we’re] just excited to get out there and play another game.”
Wales began the ‘Sean Lynn era’ with a narrow 24-21 loss to Scotland last Saturday but showed promising signs of development.
England will have to be on their game, but Feaunati stressed all the concentration was on themselves.
“We're just focused on ourselves and our role. Obviously, it's good that they had a close game, and it was close right to the very end, so it's exciting for them that they've built, but our role is just to focus on us and our team.”
On an individual note, Feaunati has come a long way since her Red Roses debut in the Six Nations last year, establishing herself as a crucial component of the Exeter Chiefs back row and now with England.
“It's just trusting the process, and I think I've trusted it well to keep building on my skill set and obviously my development but it's full credit to the system and all the girls around me.”
England Team vs Wales: Kildunne, Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt, Carson, Atkin-Davies, Bern, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (c), Kabeya, Feaunati.
Replacements: Cokayne, Botterman, Muir, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.
