Teams for women's Six Nations, Round 1
The 2019 Women’s Six Nations Championship starts on Friday when Ireland play England.
Fixtures for Round 1
Ireland vs England
Scotland vs Italy at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
France vs Wales at Stade Rabine in Nevers
They are an intriguing group of matches, all of which could produce close results. France, the reigning champions are at home to Wales who ended bottom in 2018, when England were second and Ireland third, Italy fourth and Scotland fifth.
Ireland vs England
England twice put 30 points past Ireland in 2018, more recently 37-15 at Twickenham in November.
Teams
Ireland: 15 Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo Ladies), 14 Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians), 13 Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere), 12 Michelle Claffey (Blackrock), 11 Megan Williams (Old Belvedere), 10 Nicole Fowley (Galwegians), 9 Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union), 8 Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians) (captain), 7 Claire Molloy (Wasps), 6 Juliet Short (Railway Union), 5 Nichola Fryday (Galwegians), 4 Aoife McDermott (Railway Union), 3 Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians), 2 Leah Lyons (Harlequins), 1 Laura Feely (Galwegians)
Replacements: 16 Emma Hooban (St Mary’s), 17 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere), 18 Anne-Marie O’Hora (Galwegians), 19 Anna Caplice (Richmond), 20 Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere), 21 Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere), 22 Ellen Murphy (Old Belvedere), 23 Alison Miller (Old Belvedere)
England: 15 Sarah McKenna (Saracens Women), 14 Jess Breach (Harlequins Ladies), 13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), 12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), 11 Kelly Smith (Gloucester-Hartpury), 10 Katy Daley-Mclean (Loughborough Lightning), 9 Leanne Riley (Harlequins Ladies),8 Sarah Hunter (Loughborough Lightning), 7 Marlie Packer (Saracens Women), 6 Sarah Beckett (Firwood Waterloo), 5 Poppy Cleall (Saracens Women), 4 Catherine O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning),3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears Women), 2 Lark Davies (Worcester Valkyries), 1 Hannah Botterman (Saracens Women)
Replacements: 16 Amy Cokayne (Wasps FC Ladies), 17 Bryony Cleall (Saracens Women), 18 Shaunagh Brown (Harlequins Ladies), 19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens Women), 20 Rowena Burnfield (Richmond Ladies), 21 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), 22 Zoe Harrison (Saracens Women), 23 Emily Scott (Harlequins Ladies)
Date: Friday, 1 February 2018
Kick-off: 17.00
Venue: Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin
Expected weather conditions: Cold! Partly cloudy with a high of 4°C, dropping to -1°C.
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Tim Baker (Hong Kong), Helen O’Reilly (Ireland)
Television match official: Éric Gauzins (France)
Assessor: Alhambra Nievas (Spain)
Citing commissioner: Maurizio Vancini (Italy)
Scotland vs Italy
Italy have been comfortable winners over Scotland in their last two encounters. In fact they won 38-0 in November in Calvisano. In fact, Italy have won seven of their last eight matches with Scotland.
Teams
Italy: 15 Manuela Furlan (captain) (Villorba Rugby), 14 Aura Muzzo (Villorba Rugby), 13 Michela Sillari (Rugby Colorno), 12 Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 11 Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 10 Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno), 9 Sara Barattin (Villorba Rugby), 1 Gaia Giacomoli (Rugby Colorno), 2 Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais), 3 Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 4 Valentina Ruzza (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 5 Giordana Duca (UR Capitolina), 6 Ilaria Arrighetti (Stade Rennais), 7 Giada Franco (Rugby Colorno), 8 Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova)
Replacements: 16 Silvia Turani (Rugby Colorno), 17 Elena Serilli (Rugby Belve NeroVerdi), 18 Sara Tounesi (Rugby Colorno), 19 Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain), 20 Lucia Cammarano (Rugby Belve NeroVerdi), 21 Francesca Sberna (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano), 22 Jessica Busato (Villorba Rugby), 23 Camilla Sarasso (Biella Rugby Club)
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie (Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvios), 14 Liz Musgrove (Hong Kong RFC), 13 Hannah Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill), 12 Lisa Thomson (captain) (Darlington Mowden Park), 11 Annabel Sergeant (Heriots Rugby Club), 10 Helen Nelson (Montpellier), 9 Mhairi Grieve (Firwood Waterloo), 1 Lisa Cockburn (Darlington Mowden Park), 2 Lana Skeldon (Watsonians), 3 Megan Kennedy (Stirling County), 4 Emma Wassell (Heriots Rugby Club), 5 Sarah Bonar (Loughborough Lightning), 6 Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), 7 Rachel McLachlan (Stirling County), 8 Siobhan Cattigan (Stirling County)
Replacements: 16 Jodie Rettie (Saracens), 17 Katie Dougan (Gloucester Hartpury), 18 Mairi Forsyth (Stirling County), 19 Sophie Anderson (Hillhead Jordanhill), 20 Nicola Howat (Edinburgh University), 21 Sarah Law (Edinburgh University), 22 Lisa Martin (Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvios), 23 Rhona Lloyd (Loughborough Lightning)
Date: Friday, 1 February 2019
Kick-off: 19.35
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Expected weather conditions: Cold! Partly cloudy and cold with a high of 3°C, dropping to -7°C. It’s for the brave only.
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell (England)
Assistant referees: Katherine Ritchie (England), tba (Scotland)
Television match official: Claire Hodnett (England)
France vs Wales
Teams
France: 15 Caroline Boujard (Montpellier RC), 14 Ian Jason (Stade Toulousain), 13 Marine Ménager (Montpellier RC), 12 Gabrielle Vernier (Lille MRC Villeneuvois), 11 Léa Murie (Stade Toulousain), 10 Camille Imart (Stade Toulousain), 9 Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonnaise), 8 Romane Ménager (Montpellier RC), 7 Céline Ferer (AS Bayonnaise), 6 Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain) (captain), 5 Safi N’Diaye (Montpellier RC), 4 Lénaïg Corson (Stade Français Paris), 3 Clara Joyeux (Blagnac Rugby Féminin), 2 Caroline Thomas (ASM Romagnat Rugby Féminin), 1 Lise Arricastre (Lons Rugby Féminin Béarn Pyrénées)
Replacements: 16 Laure Touye (Blagnac Rugby Féminin), 17 Dhia Maylis Traore (Stade Toulousain), 18 Argagnon, 19 Audrey Forlani (Blagnac Rugby Féminin), 20 Fiona Lecat (Stade Toulousain), 21 Yanna Rivoalen (Lille MRC Villeneuvois), 22 Morgane Peyronnet (Montpellier RC), 23 Doriane Constanty (Stade Français Paris)
Wales: Lauren Smyth (Ospreys), Jasmine Joyce (Scarlets), Hannah Jones (Scarlets), Alicia McComish (Dragons), Lisa Neumann (RGC), Robyn Wilkins (Blues), Keira Bevan (Ospreys), Caryl Thomas (Dragons), Carys Phillips (capt, Ospreys), Amy Evans (Ospreys), Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys), Mel Clay (Ospreys), Alisha Butchers (Scarlets) Manon Johnes (Blues), Bethan Lewis (Dragons)
Replacements: Kelsey Jones (Ospreys), Cara Hope (Ospreys), Cerys Hale (Dragons), Natalia John (Ospreys), Alex Callender (Scarlets) , Ffion Lewis (Scarlets), Elinor Snowsill (Bristol Bears) Jess Kavanagh (RGC)
Date: 2 February 2019
Kick-off: 21.00
Venue: Stadium GGL, Montpelier
Expected weather conditions: Cold and wet. Rain with a high of 9°C and a low of 4°C
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Sara Cox (England), tba (France)
Television match official: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
Assessor: Robert Davies (Wales)
