Preview: Women's Six Nations 2016
The Women's matches in Dublin are this time in tandem with the Under-20 matches.
Last year Ireland were the surprise winners of a competition in which England were favourites. But Ireland beat England 11-8 and although they lost to France, Italy shook the world with a 17-12 win over France and in the end points' difference gave Ireland the championship ahead of France. It was the second time in three years that Ireland had won it.
England won for seven years in a row, then Ireland won, then France won and then Ireland won again. Since its inception in 1996, Wales have not won the Women's Six Nations and are currently ranked 10th on World Rugby's first women's ranking while Ireland are ranked fourth.
The new World Rugby ranking of women's international teams could be put to the test.
France is Europe's top-ranked team, second to New Zealand and followed in this place by England with Ireland fourth. Italy are ranked eighth, Wales tenth and Scotland thirteenth.
Teams
Ireland vs Wales at Donnybrook, Dublin on 6 February 2016, kick-of 13.00
Ireland: 15 Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians) (captain), 14 Elise O'Byrne White (Old Belvedere), 13 Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara), 12 Sene Naoupu (Galwegians), 11 Mairead Coyne (Galwegians), 10 Nikki Caughey (Railway Union), 9 Larissa Muldoon (Skewen), 8 Heather O'Brien (Toulouse), 7 Claire Molloy (Bristol), 6 Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse), 5 Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere), 4 Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere), 3 Ruth O'Reilly (Galwegians), 2 Zoe Grattage (Tralee), 1 Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere).
Replacements: 16 Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union),17 Lindsay Peat (Railway Union), 18 Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians), 19 Ciara Cooney (Railway Union), 20 Ciara Griffin (Tralee), 21 Mary Healy (Galwegians), 22 Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere), 23 Jackie Shiels (Richmond).
Wales: 15 Adi Taviner (Skewen), 14 Elen Evans (Caernarfon), 13 Kerin Lake (Skewen), 12 Hannah Jones (Penybanc), 11 Bethan Dainton (Bristol), 10 Robyn Wilkins (Llandaff North), 9 Keira Bevan (Skewen), 8 Rachel Taylor (Caernarfon) (captain), 7 Sian Williams (Worcester), 6 Shona Powell-Hughes (Skewen), 5 Rebecca Rowe (Richmond), 4 Sioned Harries (Whitland), 3 Amy Evans (Skewen), 2 Carys Phillips (Skewen), 1 Megan York (Ynysddu).
Replacements: 16 Amy Price (Skewen), 17 Catrin Edwards (Llandaff North), 18 Cerys Hale (Pontyclun), 19 Siwan Lillicrap (Skewen), 20 Alisha Butchers (Penybanc), 21 Elinor Snowsill (Bristol), 22 Gemma Rowland (Wasps), 23 Dyddgu Hywel (Pontyclun).
Referee: Leah Berard (USA)
Assistant referees: Joy Neville (Ireland), Paul Haycock (Ireland)
Scotland vs England at Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld on Friday 5 February 2016, kick-off 18.00
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie (Murrayfield Wanderers), 14 Megan Gaffney (Hillhead Jordanhill), 13 Hannah Smith (Lichfield), 12 Lisa Thomson (Melrose / Edinburgh University), 11 Rhona Lloyd (Murrayfield Wanderers / Edinburgh University), 10 Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers), (capt), 9 Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers / Edinburgh University), 8 Jade Konkel (Hillhead Jordanhill), 7 Karen Dunbar (RHC), 6 Jemma Forsyth (Hillhead Jordanhill), 5 Deborah McCormack (Richmond), 4 Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers), 3 Lindsey Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill), 2 Lana Skeldon (Hillhead Jordanhill), 1 Tracy Balmer (Worcester)
Replacements: 16 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), 17 Debbie Falconer (Stirling County / Stirling University), 18 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill), 19 Fiona Sim (Saracens), 20 Anna Stodter (Saracens), 21 Jennifer Maxwell (Leeds Beckett University / Lichfield), 22 Lauren Harris (Eccles), 23 Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers)
England: 15 Katie Mason, 14 Ruth Laybourn, 13 Lauren Cattell, 12 Ceri Large, 11 Lotte Clapp, 10 Amber Reed, 9 La Toya Mason, 8 Sarah Hunter, 7 Izzy Noel-Smith, 6 Harriet Millar-Mills, 5 Emily Braund, 4 Abbie Scott, 3 Vickii Cornborough, 2 Amy Cokayne, 1 Rochelle Clark
Replacements: 16 Heather Kerr, 17 Emma Croker, 18 Bee Dawson, 19 Courtney Gill, 20 Poppy Cleall, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Lucy Demaine, 23 Leanne Riley
Referee: Jess Beard (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Alex Pratt (Scotland), Mhairi Hay (Scotland)
Timekeeper: Rebecca Wheater (Scotland)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
France vs Italy at Stade Marcel-Verchère, Bourg-en-Bresse on February 2016, kick-off 21.00
France: 15 Julie Billes, 14 Caroline Boujard, 13 Lucille Godiveau, 12 Elodie Poublan, 11 Laura Delas, 10 Audrey Abadie, 9 Yanna Rivoalen, 8 Safi N’Diaye, 7 RayssacPauline , 6 Coumba Diallo, 5 Audrey Forlani, 4 Celine Ferer, 3 Julie Duval, 2 Gaëlle Mignot (captain), 1 Lise Arricastre
Replacements: 16 Agathe Sochat, 17 Maylis Traore Dhia, 18 Romane Menager, 19 Julie (Annery, 20 Laure Sansus, 21 Camille Imart, 22 Bertrand, 23 Patricia Carricaburu
Italy: 15 Manuela Furlan (Benetton Treviso), 14 Michela Sillari (Colorno), 13 Maria Grazia Cioffi (Us Benevento), 12 Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Padova), 11 Sofia Stefan (Rennes, Francia, 22 Caps), 10 Veronica Schiavon (Riviera Del Brenta), 9 Sara Barattin (Casale) (captain), 8 Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Padova), 7 Michela Este (Benetton Treviso), 6 Ilaria Arrigheti (Rennes, Francia), 5 Alice Trevisan (Riviera Del Brenta), 4 Isabella Locatelli (Monza 1949), 3 Lucia Gai (Riviera Del Brenta), 2 Melissa Bettoni (Rennes, Francia), 1 Elisa Cucchiella (Belve Neroverdi)
Replacements: 16 Lucia Cammarano (Monza 1949), 17 Gaia Giacomolli (Colorno), 18 Diletta Nicoletti (Bologna 1928), 19 Valentina Ruzza (Valsugana Padova), 20 Elisa Pillotti (Parabiago), 21 Silvia F Olli (Valsugana Padovas), 22 Paola Zangirolami (Valsugana Padova), 23 Maria Magatti (Monza 1949)
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Assessor: Kat Todd (USA)
