Preview: Six Nations Women. Round 2
The third match is between two of the convincing winners in Round 1 – France and Ireland. That could be a great match.
Round 1 Results
Ireland vs Wales, 21-3.
England vs Scotland, 32-0
France vs Italy, 39-0
This Week's Fixtures
France vs Ireland
Italy vs England
Wales vs Scotland
Wales vs Scotland at The Gnoll, Neath, Sunday, 14 February 2016, kick-off 14.00
Injuries after the Irish match have forced changes to the Welsh team.
The captain and No.8 Rachel Taylor is out and so hooker Carys Phillips captains the side and Sioned Harries slips back from lock to No.8. Siwan Lillicrap comes from the bench into starting lock.
Centre Kerin Lake is getting over concussion and will not play and this has necessitated a shuffle. Elinor Snowsill comes into flyhalf, Robyn Williams moves from flyhalf to inside centre and Hannah Jones from inside to outside.
In addition Alisha Butchers comes onto the flank, Dyddgu Hywel starts at fullback and Adi Taviner switches to the wing.
Teams:
Wales: 15 Dyddgu Hywel (Pontyclun), 14 Adi Taviner (Skewen), 13 Hannah Jones (Penybanc), 12 Robyn Wilkins (Llandaff North), 11 Elen Evans (Caernarfon), 10 Elinor Snowsill (Bristol), 9 Keira Bevan (Skewen), 8 Sioned Harries (Whitland), 7 Alisha Butchers (Penybanc), 6 Sian Williams (Worcester), 5 Rebecca Rowe (Richmond), 4 Siwan Lillicrap (Skewen), 3 Amy Evans (Skewen), 2 Carys Phillips (Skewen) (captain), 1 Megan York (Ynysddu).
Replacements: 16 Amy Price (Skewen), 17 Catrin Edwards (Llandaff North), 18 Cerys Hale (Pontyclun), 19 Jenny Hawkins (Llandaff North), 20 Shona Powell-Hughes (Skewen), 21 Bethan Dainton (Bristol), 22 Gemma Rowland (Wasps), 23 Melissa Clay (Pencoed).
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie (Murrayfield Wanderers), 14 Lauren Harris (Eccles), 13 Megan Gaffney (Hillhead), 12 Lisa Thomson (Melrose), 11 Rhona Lloyd (Murrayfield Wanderers), 10 Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers) (captain), 9 Sarah Law( Murrayfield Wanderers), 8 Jade Konkel (Hillhead), 7 Karen Dunbar (RHC Cougars), 6 Jemma Forsyth (Hillhead), 5 Deborah McCormack (Richmond), 4 Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers), 3 Lindsey Smith (Hillhead), 2 Lana Skeldon (Hillhead), 1 Tracy Balmer (Worcester)
Replacements: 16 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), 17 Debbie Falconer (Stirling County), 18 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead), 19 Fiona Sim (Saracens), 20 Anna Stodter (Saracens), 21 Jennifer Maxwell (Lichfield), 22 Abigail Evans (Hillhead), 23 Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers),
Referee: Claire Hodnett (England)
France vs Ireland at Stade Aimé Giral, Perpignan, on Saturday, 13 February 2016, kick-off 21.00
This looks to be the match of the weekend, two strong and confident sides. The Irish are the champions but they are playing in the South of France, down next to the Pyrenees in the land of the Catalans. It is a match in which Ireland's captain Niamh Briggs could be most effective.
There are just two changes from the team which beat Italy. Coumba Diallo is injured and replaced by Laetitia Grand. Prop Arkya Ait lahbib was a late withdrawal last week but is back on the bench this week.
Like France, Ireland seem content for their only change is that the hookers have swapped places and Cliodhna Moloney starts this week.
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) (UL Bohemians), 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 Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere), 2 Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union), 1 Ruth O'Reilly (Galwegians).
Replacements: 16 Zoe Grattage (Tralee), 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)..
Referee: Jess Beard (New Zealand)
Italy vs England at Stadio Gino Pistoni, Ivrea on Saturday, 13 February 2016, kick-off 15.00
Despite last week's heavy defeat Italy have changed little. Their backs stay the same. The changes are in the pack where Isabella Locatelli moves from lock to flank, her place taken in the second row by Elisa Pillotti. The last change is at hooker where Lucia Cammarano replaces Lucia Gai who is on the bench.
Italy will find England tough opponents even on home soil.
England have made just two changes and both of those are on the bench – uncapped Poppy Leitch (Bristol) and Lydia Thompson (Worcester) in the places of Lucy Demaine (Bristol) and Courtney Gill (Worcester) – same clubs, different people.
Teams
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), 10 Veronica Schiavon (Riviera Del Brenta), 9 Sara Barattin (Casale) (captain), 8 Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Padova), 7 Isabella Locatelli (Monza 1949), 6 Ilaria Arrigheti (Rennes, Francia), 5 Alice Trevisan (Riviera Del Brenta), 4 Elisa Pillotti (Parabiago), 3 Melissa Bettoni (Rennes, Francia), 2 Lucia Cammarano (Monza 1949), 1 Elisa Cucchiella (Belve Neroverdi)
Replacements: 16 Lucia Gai (Riviera Del Brenta), 17 Gaia Giacomolli (Colorno), 18 Diletta Nicoletti (Bologna 1928), 19 Valentina Ruzza (Valsugana Padova), 20 Michela Este (Benetton Treviso), 21 Silvia Folli (Valsugana Padovas), 22 Paola Zangirolami (Valsugana Padova), 23 Maria Magatti (Monza 1949)
England: 15 Katie Mason (Bristol), 14 Ruth Laybourn (Darlington Mowden Park), 13 Lauren Cattell (Saracens), 12 Ceri Large (Worcester), 11 Lotte Clapp (Saracens), 10 Amber Reed (Bristol), 9 La Toya Mason (Darlington Mowden Park), 8 Sarah Hunter (Bristol), 7 Izzy Noel-Smith (Bristol), 6 Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield), 5 Emily Braund (Lichfield), 4 Abbie Scott (Darlington Mowden Park), 3 Vickii Cornborough (Richmond), 2 Amy Cokayne (Lichfield), 1 Rochelle Clark (Worcester)
Replacements: 16 Emma Croker (Richmond), 17 Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park), 18 Bee Dawson (Wasps), 19 Poppy Leitch (Bristol), 20 Poppy Cleall (Saracens), 21 Bianca Blackburn (Worcester), 22 Leanne Riley (Richmond), 23 Lydia Thompson (Worcester)
Referee: Leah Berard (USA)
Assistant referees: Barbara Guastini (Italy), Doranna De Carlini (Italy)
