Six Nations Women, Round Two - teams and predictions
PREVIEW: England, tournament favourites continue their campaign in the Women’s Six Nations with a Round Two clash against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wales will be hoping to break the attendance record for a standalone women’s sporting fixture in Wales (currently set at 16,500 by the Wales Women’s soccer team).
They also set a record for a standalone women’s rugby fixture in Wales with a crowd of 10,592 for their 22-20 victory over Italy in the final game of the 2024 Championship.
England have a clear upper hand in the history of this fixture, having won the last eight Six Nations encounters against Wales.
Their most recent meeting resulted in a 46-10 victory at Ashton Gate in Bristol.
England have won 20 of their previous 22 Women’s Six Nations matches against Wales, including each of their last eight by an average margin of 46 points.
However, their two defeats to Wales both came away from home (15-16 in 2009 and 0-13 in 2015).
England enters the match with confidence, having secured a six-try win over Italy in their opening game of the tournament.
Under coach John Mitchell and captain Zoe Aldcroft, the Red Roses are favourites to claim their seventh consecutive Six Nations title and a fourth consecutive Grand Slam.
Wales, led by new coach Sean Lynn and captain Hannah Jones, are aiming to improve after a challenging 2024 season.
Despite a narrow loss to Scotland last weekend, they showed the sort of promise that can be built on as they take on the reigning champions in front of a spirited home crowd.
* Ireland travel to Italy for Round Two on Sunday, where they will battle it out at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma.
Italy have won each of their last two Women’s Six Nations matches against Ireland after winning just one of the previous 16.
Two of Italy’s three wins against Ireland have come in Parma (the other was in Dublin, 2024), where this fixture will take place.
In 2024, Italy earned their first win of the 2024 Women’s Six Nations with a bonus-point 27-21 win over Ireland at the RDS in Dublin.
Ireland head into the fixture off the back of a 15-27 loss to France.
Despite giving the 14-player France side a scare, Ireland couldn’t capitalise on their numerical advantage.
Coach Scott Bemand was pleased with his side’s performance, which featured five 21-year-olds starting, three Six Nations debutantes involved, and four Sevens stars – including a first-time captain.
Italy, on the other hand, had a disappointing start to their campaign, losing 38-5 to England. However, they showed resilience against the Red Roses, particularly in the second half, where they kept England scoreless for 38 minutes.
Coach Fabio Roselli will be looking for more consistency from his side in both attack and defence as they seek to bounce back on home soil.
* In the other Round Two match France will host Scotland at Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle, with both sides looking to maintain their winning start
France have lost just two of their previous 22 Women’s Six Nations matches against Scotland and are unbeaten in their last 13 – their last meeting in France resulted in a 55-0 victory for Les Bleues in Vannes in 2023.
In 2024, France overcame a stubborn Scotland in Edinburgh, with tries from Kelly Arbey and Emeline Gros securing a second consecutive win in the 2024 Women’s Six Nations.
All the Round Two teams and predictions below …
Womens Six Nations
Saturday, March 29
France v Scotland
(Stade Marcel-Deflande, La Rochelle – Kick-off: 14.00; 13.00 UK time & GMT)
Head-to-Head
Last 3 Meetings
Prediction
@rugby365com: France by six points
Teams
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden, 8 Jade Konkel, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 6 Rachel Malcolm (captain), 5 Sarah Bonar, 4 Hollie Cunningham, 3 Elliann Clarke, 2 Lana Skeldon, 1 Anne Young.
Replacements: 16 Elis Martin, 17 Leah Bartlett, 18 Molly Poolman, 19 Adelle Ferrie, 20 Becky Boyd, 21 Alex Stewart, 22 Caity Mattinson, 23 Evie Wills.
France: 15 Morgane Bourgeois, 14 Kelly Arbey, 13 Marine Ménager, 12 Montserrat Amédée, 11 Mélissande Llorens, 10 Caroline Arbez, 9 Pauline Bourdon-Sansus, 8 Téani Feleu, 7 Séraphine Okemba, 6 Charlotte Escudero, 5 Madoussou Fall-Raclot, 4 Manaé Feleu, 3 Rose Bernadou, 2 Manon Bigot, 1 Yllana Brosseau.
Replacements: 16 Élisa Riffoneau, 17 Ambre Mwayembe, 18 Clara Joyeux, 19 Kiara Zago, 20 Axelle Berthoumieu, 21 Léa Champon, 22 Alexandra Chambon, 23 Lina Queyroi.
Referee: Lauren Jenner
Assistant referees: Kat Roche, Amelia Luciano
TMO: Quinton Immelman
Wales v England
(Millennium Stadium, Cardiff – Kick-off: 16h45; 16.45 GMT)
Head-to-Head
Last 4 Meetings
Prediction
@rugby365com: England by 12 points
Teams
Wales: 15 Jasmine Joyce, 14 Lisa Neumann, 13 Hannah Jones (captain), 12 Kayleigh Powell, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Georgia Evans, 7 Bethan Lewis, 6 Kate Williams, 5 Gwen Crabb, 4 Abbie Fleming, 3 Jenni Scoble, 2 Carys Phillips, 1 Gwenllian Pyrs.
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Maisie Davies, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Alaw Pyrs, 20 Bryonie King, 21 Meg Davies, 22 Courtney Keight, 23 Nel Metcalfe.
England: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Natasha Hunt, 8 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 6 Zoe Aldcroft, 5 Abbie Ward, 4 Morwenna Talling, 3 Sarah Bern, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 1 Mackenzie Carson.
Replacements: 16 Amy Cokayne, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Rosie Galligan, 20 Abi Burton, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Helena Rowland.
Referee: Clara Munarini
Assistant referees: Aurelie Groizeleau, Maria Heitor
TMO: Oli Kellet
Sunday, March 30
Italy v Ireland
(Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma – Kick-off: 16.00; 15.00 UK time & GMT)
Head-to-Head
Last 4 Meetings
Prediction
@rugby365com: Ireland by eight points
Teams
Italy: 15 Francesca Granzotto, 14 Aura Muzzo, 13. Michela Sillari, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Alyssa D’inca, 10 Emma Stevanin, 9 Sofia Stefan, 8 Elisa Giordano, 7. Francesca Scorbini, 6. Sara Tounesi, 5 Giordana Duc, 4 Valeria Fedrighi, 3 Gaia Maris, 2 Vittoria Vecchin, 1 Silvia Turani
Replacements: 16 Laura Gurioli, 17 Vittoria Zanette, 18 Sara Seye, 19 Beatrice Veronese, 20 Alissa Ranuccini, 21 Alia Bitonci, 22 Sara Mannini, 23 Beatrice Capomaggi
Ireland: 15 Stacey Flood, 14 Anna McGann, 13 Aoife Dalton, 12 Eve Higgins, 11 Amee-Leigh Costigan, 10 Dannah O’Brien, 9 Aoibheann Reilly, 8 Aoife Wafer, 7 Erin King, 6 Edel McMahon, 5 Fiona Tuite, 4 Ruth Campbell, 3 Linda Djougang, 2 Neve Jones, 1 Niamh O’Dowd.
Replacements: 16 Cliodhna Moloney, 17 Siobhan McCarthy, 18 Christy Haney, 19 Grace Moore, 20 Dorothy Wall, 21 Brittany Hogan, 22 Emily Lane, 23 Enya Breen.
Referee: Ella Goldsmith
Assistant referees: Precious Pazani, Shanda Assmus
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Source: @Womens6Nations
