France, England lead in Women's 6N

This suggests that England and France are in the best positions to take the 2016 title. They meet in France on 18 March 2016.

Not that Ireland are entirely out of the picture. They won the Six Nations in 2015 on points' difference and it also remains possible again this year.

Round 2 Results

France vs Ireland, 18-6

England vs Italy, 33-24

Wales vs Scotland, 23-10

Round 1 Results

Ireland vs Wales, 21-3.

England vs Scotland, 32-0

France vs Italy, 39-0

Wales vs Scotland at The Gnoll, Neath, Sunday, 14 February 2016. Wales won 23-10

Three tries to one suggests a well-deserved victory, which it was for Wales Women. But it was not easy as the Scots were determined.

Scotland opened the scoring when hooker Lana Skeldon goaled a penalty. First to score a try was Sioned Harries, the Welsh No.8, who also made a try for outside centre Hannah Jones. Those two tries and the try for Scotland by outside centre Megan Gaffney made the time score 15-10, and anybody's game.

Wales had the wind at their backs for the second half but still the Scots limited them to just one try – scored by flank Alisha Butchers – and a penalty goal.

Scorers

For Wales:

Tries: Sioned Harries, Hannah Jones, Alisha Butchers

Cons: Robyn Wilkins

Pens: Robyn Wilkins 2

For Scotland:

Try: Megan Gaffney

Con: Lana Skeldon

Pen: Lana Skeldon

Teams:

Wales: 15 Dyddgu Hywel, 14 Adi Taviner, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Robyn Wilkins, 11 Elen Evans, 10 Elinor Snowsill, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Sioned Harries, 7 Alisha Butchers, 6 Sian Williams, 5 Rebecca Rowe, 4 Siwan Lillicrap, 3 Amy Evans, 2 Carys Phillips (captain), 1 Megan York.

Replacements: 16 Amy Price, 17 Catrin Edwards, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Jenny Hawkins, 20 Shona Powell-Hughes, 21 Bethan Dainton, 22 Gemma Rowland, 23 Melissa Clay.

Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Lauren Harris, 13 Megan Gaffney, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Rhona Lloyd,  10 Lisa Martin (captain), 9 Sarah Law,  8 Jade Konkel, 7 Karen Dunbar, 6 Jemma Forsyth, 5 Deborah McCormack, 4 Emma Wassell, 3 Lindsey Smith, 2 Lana Skeldon, 1 Tracy Balmer (Worcester)

Replacements: 16 Sarah Quick, 17 Debbie Falconer, 18 Heather Lockhart, 19 Fiona Sim, 20 Anna Stodter, 21 Jennifer Maxwell, 22 Abigail Evans, 23 Eilidh Sinclair,

Referee: Claire Hodnett (England)

France vs Ireland at Stade Aimé Giral, Perpignan, on Saturday, 13 February 2016. France won 18-6

The match was won and lost in the first match. France scored two tries and led 15-6 at the break. The only scoring in the second half was a French penalty goal.

Young flyhalf Audrey Abadie kicked a penalty goal for France to open the scoring and Irish captain Niamh Briggs levelled the scores but then France pulled away with tries by caoptain Gaëlle Mignot and wing Caroline Boujard, the second converted by Audrey Abadie. In the second half Laura Delas kicked a penalty 10 minutes from full time.

Ireland had their chances to score but it was the French pack with No.8 Safi N'Diaye in the van that was so effective, spurred on by a partisan crowd of 11 170. It was their pack's second line-out maul that gave Gaëlle Mignot her side's first try.

The second followed a turnover of a tackle by Elodie Poublain on Niamh Briggs. From the turnover Boujard raced down the touchline to score in the corner. Audrey Abadie converted from touch, and France led 15-3.

In the second half both sides came desperately close to scoring.

Scorers:

For France:

Tries: Gaëlle Mignot, Caroline Boujard

Con: Audrey Abadie  

Pens: Audrey Abadie, Laura Delas

For Ireland:

Pens: Niamh Briggs 2

Teams

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 Pauline Rayssac, 6 Laetitia Grand, 5 Audrey Forlani, 4 Celine Ferer, 3 Julie Duval, 2 Gaëlle Mignot (captain), 1 Lise Arricastre

Replacements: 16 Agathe Sochat, 17 Arkya Ait lahbib, 18 Romane Menager, 19 Julie (Annery, 20 Laure Sansus, 21 Camille Imart, 22 Bertrand, 23 Patricia Carricaburu

Ireland: 15 Niamh Briggs (captain), 14 Elise O'Byrne White, 13 Aine Donnelly, 12 Sene Naoupu, 11 Mairead Coyne, 10 Nikki Caughey, 9 Larissa Muldoon, 8  Heather O'Brien, 7 Claire Molloy, 6 Paula Fitzpatrick, 5 Sophie Spence, 4 Marie Louise Reilly, 3 Ailis Egan, 2 Cliodhna Moloney, 1 Ruth O'Reilly.

Replacements: 16 Zoe Grattage, 17 Lindsay Peat, 18 Fiona Reidy, 19 Ciara Cooney, 20 Ciara Griffin, 21 Mary Healy, 22 Nora Stapleton, 23 Jackie Shiels

Referee: Jess Beard (New Zealand)

Italy vs England at Stadio Gino Pistoni, Ivrea on Saturday, 13 February 2016. England won 33-24

This match in Ivrea, north of Turin, produced a much better performance from Italia Femminile than the one against France when they lost heavily.

At half-time England led 19-12, three tries to two but when No.8 Elisa Giordano scored three minutes into the second half the score was 19-17. That is how the score was on 60 minutes but then a penalty gave England a line-out on their right near the Italian 22. They mauled and then went wide left when only gallant defence kept them out but they bashed at the line and eventually lock Abbie Scott got the ball and fell over for a try. England stretched their lead to 33-17 with a try by Bianca Blackburn two minutes later. Italy came back immediately and substitute loose forward Michela Este scored to make the final score 33-24 as there was no more scoring the last 15 minutes.

Scorers:

For England:

Tries: Lauren Cattell, La Toya Mason, Lottie Clapp, Abbie Scott, Bianca  Blackburn

Cons: Amber Reed 3, Lauren Cattell

For Italy:

Tries: Maria Grazia Cioffi, Sofia Stefan, Elisa Giordano, Michela Este

Cons: Veronica Schiavon 2

Teams

Italy: 15 Manuela Furlan, 14 Michela Sillari, 13 Maria Grazia Cioffi, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Sofia Stefan, 10 Veronica Schiavon, 9 Sara Barattin (captain), 8 Elisa Giordano, 7 Isabella Locatelli, 6 Ilaria Arrigheti, 5 Alice Trevisan, 4 Elisa Pillotti, 3 Melissa Bettoni, 2 Lucia Cammarano, 1 Elisa Cucchiella

Replacements: 16 Lucia Gai, 17 Gaia Giacomolli, 18 Diletta Nicoletti, 19 Valentina Ruzza, 20 Michela Este, 21 Silvia Folli (s), 22 Paola Zangirolami, 23 Maria Magatti

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 Emma Croker, 17 Heather Kerr, 18 Bee Dawson, 19 Poppy Leitch, 20 Poppy Cleall, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Leanne Riley, 23 Lydia Thompson

Referee: Leah Berard (USA)

Assistant referees: Barbara  Guastini (Italy), Doranna De Carlini (Italy)