Six Nations - Week 1

[Quel Carreleur]

Fra V Ita = iPlayer
Eng v Ire = BBC1
Wal v Sco = BBC2 / BBC1W

Question - should this be in the 2026 six nations forum, or the women's rugby forum?

 

[Quel Carreleur]

France
15 Pauline Barrat (Stade Toulousain, 0 caps)
14 Anaïs Grando (ASM Romagnat, 0 caps)
13 Joanna Grisez (Stade Bordelais, 13 caps)
12 Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac RF, 58 caps)
11 Léa Murie (Stade Toulousain, 6 caps)
10 Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais, 16 caps)
9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus (Stade Toulousain, 71 caps)

1 Léa Champon (FC Grenoble Amazones, 15 caps)
2 Manae Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones, 30 caps) – Captain
3 Axelle Berthoumieu (Stade Bordelais, 26 caps)
4 Madoussou Fall Raclot (Stade Bordelais, 45 caps)
5 Kiara Zago (Stade Toulousain, 6 caps)
6 Assia Khalfaoui (ASM Romagnat, 37 caps)
7 Mathilde Lazarko (ASM Romagnat, 0 caps)
8 Ambre Mwayembe (Stade Toulousain, 19 caps)

Replacements
16 Élisa Riffonneau (FC Grenoble Amazones, 20 caps)
17 Yllana Brosseau (ASM Romagnat, 27 caps)
18 Rose Bernadou (Montpellier HR, 28 caps)
19 Cloé Correa (Stade Toulousain, 0 caps)
20 Siobhan Soqeta (FC Grenoble Amazones, 0 caps)
21 Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain, 32 caps)
22 Alexandra Chambon (ASM Romagnat, 36 caps)
23 Aubane Rousset (Stade Bordelais, 0 caps)


Italy
15.⁠ ⁠Vittoria OSTUNI MINUZZI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 44 caps)
14.⁠ ⁠Aura MUZZO (LOU Rugby, 58 caps)
13.⁠ ⁠Alyssa D’INCÀ (Blagnac Rugby, 35 caps)
12.⁠ ⁠Sara MANNINI (Rugby Colorno, 12 caps)
11.⁠ ⁠Francesca GRANZOTTO (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
10.⁠ ⁠Veronica MADIA (Blagnac Rugby, 60 caps)
9.⁠ ⁠Alia BITONCI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 10 caps)

1.⁠ ⁠Silvia TURANI (Harlequins, 47 caps)
2.⁠ ⁠Vittoria VECCHINI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 41 caps)
3.⁠ ⁠Alessia PILANI (Stade Bordelais Rugby, 9 caps)
4.⁠ ⁠Valeria FEDRIGHI (Rugby Colorno, 67 caps)
5.⁠ ⁠Giordana DUCA (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 60 caps)
6.⁠ ⁠Francesca SGORBINI (ASM Clermont Rugby, 37 caps)
7.⁠ ⁠Alissa RANUCCINI (LOU Rugby, 18 caps)
8.⁠ ⁠Elisa GIORDANO (Capitana, Valsugana Rugby Padova, 78 caps)

Replacements
16.⁠ ⁠Chiara CHELI (Rugby Colorno, esordiente)
17.⁠ ⁠Gaia MARIS (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 42 caps)
18.⁠ ⁠Vittoria ZANETTE (LOU Rugby, 2 caps)
19.⁠ ⁠Elettra COSTANTINI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, esordiente)
20.⁠ ⁠Beatrice VERONESE (RCTPM Toulon, 31 caps)
21.⁠ ⁠Sofia STEFAN (RCTPM Toulon, 101 caps)
22.⁠ ⁠Emma STEVANIN (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 27 caps)
23.⁠ ⁠Gaia BUSO (Villorba Rugby, 4 caps)

 

[Quel Carreleur]

England
15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 57 caps)
14 Jess Breach (Saracens, 53 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 33 caps) – captain
12 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 46 caps)
11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)
10 Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks, 44 caps)
9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 38 caps)

1 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 21 caps)
2 Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 89 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 79 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 28 caps)
5 Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, 5 caps)
6 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 23 caps)
7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 28 caps)
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 81 caps)

Replacements
16 Connie Powell (Harlequins, 19 caps)
17 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 23 caps)
18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 48 caps)
19 Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
20 Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, 4 caps)
21 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 88 caps)
22 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 65 caps)
23 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 13 caps)

Ireland
15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(24)
14. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(31)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(28)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(32)
11. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)(4)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(30)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(20)

1. Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(4)
2. Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(49)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(52)
4. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs)(37)
5. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(20)
6. Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks)(38)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(Captain)(7)
8. Aoife Wafer (Harlequins)(16)

Replacements
16. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(41)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury)(20)
18. Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
19. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(12)
20. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(26)
21. Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
22. Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)(3)
23. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(14).

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Wales
15. Kayleigh Powell (28)
14. Seren Singleton (Uncapped)
13. Carys Cox (23)
12. Courtney Keight (28)
11. Lisa Neumann (51)
10. Lleucu George (35)
9. Keira Bevan (78)

1. Gwenllian Pyrs (51)
2. Kelsey Jones (52)
3. Sisilia Tuipulotu (30)
4. Jorja Aiono (Uncapped)
5. Gwen Crabb (39)
6. Bethan Lewis (61)
7. Kate Williams (24) - captain
8. Bryonie King (12)

Replacements:
16. Molly Reardon (12)
17. Maisie Davies (12)
18. Donna Rose (37)
19. Alaw Pyrs (10)
20. Georgia Evans (43)
21. Branwen Metcalfe (1)
22. Seren Lockwood (4)
23. Hannah Dallavalle (69)

Scotland
15. Chloe Rollie (81)
14. Rhona Lloyd (62)
13. Emma Orr (34)
12. Meryl Smith (22)
11. Shona Campbell (9)
10. Helen Nelson (75) - vice captain
9. Leia Brebner-Holden (15)

1. Leah Bartlett (49)
2. Lana Skeldon (84)
3. Elliann Clarke (24)
4. Emma Wassell (72)
5. Hollie Cunningham (2)
6. Rachel Malcolm – Captain (61)
7. Alex Stewart (17)
8. Emily Coubrough (Uncapped)

Replacements:
16. Elis Martin (26)
17. Demi Swann (Uncapped)
18. Molly Poolman (7)
19. Holland Bogan (Uncapped)
20. Eva Donaldson (21)
21. Rianna Darroch (Uncapped)
22. Evie Wills (8)
23. Lucia Scott (7)

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Is England the only country where players are taking this year to have kids so they can be ready for Lions and next World Cup or is England the only team who gets media attention?

Might be enough for France to finally get over the hump.

Still will probably be

England
France
Ireland
Italy
Wales
Scotland

Flipping Scotland and wales from last year off the Celtic challenge.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Is England the only country where players are taking this year to have kids so they can be ready for Lions and next World Cup or is England the only team who gets media attention?

England were the ones celebrating 2 trimesters ago...

 

[Saintjay]

I'm guessing the Moloney-MacDonald girls are sisters. One has decided Ireland and the other England. That's a headache for the parents.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

I'm guessing the Moloney-MacDonald girls are sisters. One has decided Ireland and the other England. That's a headache for the parents.

I'm pretty sure they're wives
Claudia MacDonald + Cliodhna Moloney

 

[Saintjay]

I'm pretty sure they're wives
Claudia MacDonald + Cliodhna Moloney

Ha I never even thought of that. That's pretty cool.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Surely it's the first time a married couple have played against each other in international rugby?

 

[9215.]

Surely it's the first time a married couple have played against each other in international rugby?

I think you must be right, I can think of a few opposition couples but not married couples.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Scotland vs Canada at the World Cup had ex wives on opposing teams

 

[9215.]

Is England the only country where players are taking this year to have kids so they can be ready for Lions and next World Cup or is England the only team who gets media attention?

Might be enough for France to finally get over the hump.

Still will probably be

England
France
Ireland
Italy
Wales
Scotland

Flipping Scotland and wales from last year off the Celtic challenge.

I reckon Scotland will be a couple of places higher than that, their Celtic Challenge results are probably because so many of their players are in the PWR.

 

[Saintjay]

Surely it's the first time a married couple have played against each other in international rugby?

Got to be surely. I always find it mad how many brothers play top level rugby when compared with other top team sports.

75k tickets sold for England vs Ireland which is great as well.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

I think my high-number status is showing
What was wrong with that maul? (disallowed try for France)

Was it a slipped bind on the right hand side?
Comm.s are saying obstruction though. Surely it's not the front 2 players being peeled off and rejoining at the back?

Either way, cracking match so far. Italy looking strong, France looking rusty - too many very unsympathetic passes

 

[Brown Bottle]

Not seen any of it but the score suggests that France may have blown off the cobwebs.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

FFS, Italy 15 was unconscious.
She doesn't need an HIA, she's automatically failed it.
No muscle tone, no reaction at all when first player in is clearing her airway


Plays on, doesn't even get tested

ETA, and dragged off at next stoppage

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Not seen any of it but the score suggests that France may have blown off the cobwebs.

A little more clinical but still rusty.
Italy just couldn't keep it up - fatigue and weaker bench

 

[Quel Carreleur]

England are boringly efficient
Killdunne has learned to pass the ball, but could do with learning when to

 

[9215.]

With Jones as captain, Aitchison at 10, and Breach in the leadership group I thought we might see the backs score a try at some point.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

They tried with Berne's second, and there was Killdunne's "fumble" over the line (full credit to the defender)

 

[9215.]

They tried with Cockayne's second, and there was Killdunne's "fumble" over the line (full credit to the defender)

It was good defence but I don’t think it would have been able to be if she’d kept the ball in both hands

 

[Brown Bottle]

Well, lets hope Ireland are tiring now and England can make the scoreboard a bit more respectable. So many errors!

 

[Saintjay]

Rusty by England. Ireland definitely improved.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Disappointing crowd after the first two matches

 

[AlRums]

Super try

 

[Crash Hamster]

Haineala Lutui came on in the second row for England. She's 19. She's the daughter of Aleki Lutui...

I feel very old now.

 

[9215.]

Wales v Scotland was a great match, Wales much improved.
Nelson was good but I thought Smith was unlucky not to get potm, really brought her Bristol from into Scotland.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Haineala Lutui came on in the second row for England. She's 19. She's the daughter of Aleki Lutui...

I feel very old now.

Now?

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Disappointing crowd after the first two matches

Did they say 25k? And smashing the record?
On the one hand, 25k looked lost in the MillStad, on the other, maybe I got spoiled by the RWC crowds, and the first two matches today, and was simply expecting too much. Let's face it, we know England are blazing the trail when it comes to women's rugby - both on and off the pitch