Six Nations Round One: Teams and Predictions

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PREVIEW: The Women's Six Nations get underway on Saturday, with England looking to make it seven titles in a row before a home World Cup in August.

The Red Roses won their third successive Six Nations Grand Slam by comfortably beating France in Bordeaux last year.

The very best from across Europe will come together to create a dazzling competition where the Red Roses will be the hottest property.

They are the best team in the world and recently sent the mighty Black Ferns of New Zealand packing. Their rivalry against France will be one of the season's highlights and with Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy all looking to take a major scalp, it promises to be mouthwatering.

This year it is not just about winning the Six Nations. All eyes will be on the World Cup taking place in August. It is a time to suss out the opposition and sort out combinations and game plans.

Ireland and France kick off the 2025 Championship at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Saturday. Ireland approaches this game in an altogether different frame of mind compared to last season's trip to Le Havre, but to improve on 2024's third-place finish they probably need to beat France on Saturday.

That is still a tall order as Les Bleus have been second to England in each of the last five championships and have not lost to any of the other teams.

Amee-Leigh Costigan will captain Ireland for the first time in a Test match in Saturday's Six Nations opener against France at the Kingspan Stadium.

Head Coach Scott Bemand has made just four changes to the starting team from Ireland's last game when their 26-14 win over the USA secured a third-place finish in WXV1.

Anna McGann comes in on the right wing for the retired Eimear Considine while Eve Higgins, who was on the bench against the USA, starts in midfield, and likewise, Dannah O'Brien returns at flyhalf.

The only change in the pack sees Ruth Campbell, another replacement in that Z+WXV1 finale, make her Championship debut in the second-row.

Interestingly, in a bid to counter France's power game, Bemand has switched to a 6-2 split on the bench with Cliodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Grace Moore, and Fiona Tuite joined by the returning McMahon, while Aoibheann Reilly and Enya Breen are the backline replacements.

"'Tricky' [aka McMahon] is going to come off the bench as a finisher, which is where I believe the game will be won and lost," said Bemand.

This is the first time in his tenure that Bemand has opted for a 6-2 bench.

France have won 19 of their previous 22 games against Ireland in the Women's Six Nations, including each of their last six by margins of over 20 points.

However, each of their three Championship defeats against Ireland has come on Irish soil (2009, 2013, 2017). This will be their first meeting in Belfast.

France has named a strong albeit relatively inexperienced squad (542 caps in total). While no player will make their Test debut against Ireland, two will experience their first Six Nations campaign. Olympic sevens star Séraphine Okemba, who transitioned to 15s during the WXV, starts in the second row, while back-rower Léa Champon is named among the replacements.

*England may have a new captain, but they are expected to achieve the same result in this tournament: five wins from five to seal a seventh consecutive Women's Six Nations trophy.

This competition will be significant for the Red Roses to find their winning combinations and potentially a bolter or two for the Rugby World Cup squad later this year.

Gloucester's Emma Sing, the top Premiership Women's point scorer for the 2024-25 season, is one such star who could break back into the team.

England's head coach, John Mitchell, said it would be "stupid" not to try different things in his match-day squads. "A lot of the combinations that you see in the Six Nations will be as a result of the end [the World Cup] in mind," he said. "Will players get opportunities? Yes. It's exciting because there is always room for a new player to create enthusiasm."

Lilli Ives Campion and Mia Venner will make their first Test starts at second row and wing respectively, whilst Flo Robinson and Jade Shekells could earn their first international cap should they feature from the bench.

Fresh from winning the PWR title, Zoe Aldcroft captains an experienced Red Roses team boasting 822 appearances, which also sees a return for wing Claudia MacDonald, whose last Test came against New Zealand in the 2023 WXV tournament.

The 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, will start from the bench.

Saturday, March 22

Ireland v France
(Kingspan Stadium, Belfast; Kick-off 15.00, 13.00 GMT)

@rugby365:Ireland by seven points

Teams:

Ireland: 15 Stacey Flood, 14 Anna McGann, 13 Aoife Dalton, 12 Eve Higgins, 11 Amee-Leigh Costigan, 10 Dannah O'Brien, 9 Emily Lane, 8 Aoife Wafer, 7 Erin King, 6 Brittany Hogan, 5 Dorothy Wall, 4 Ruth Campbell, 3 Linda Djougang, 2 Neve Jones (captain), 1 Niamh O'Dowd
Replacements: 16 Oliodhna Moloney, 17 Siobhan McCarthy, 18 Christy Haney, 19 Grace Moore, 20 Fiona Tuite, 21 Edel McMahon, 22 Aoibheann Reilly, 23 Enya Breen

France: 15 Morgane Bourgeois, 14 Mlissandre Llorens Vigneres, 13 Nassira Konde, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 11 Marine Menager, 10 Carla Arbez, 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus, 8 Teani Feleu, 7 Seraphine Okemba, 6 Charlotte Escudero, 5 Madoussou Fall Raclot, 4 Manae Feleu, 3 Rose Bernadou, 2 Agathe Sochat, 1 Yllana Brosseau
Replacements: 16 Manon Bigot, 17 Ambre Mwayembe, 18 Clara Joyeux, 19 Axelle Berthoumieu, 20 Lea Champon, 21 Alexandra Chambon, 22 Lina Queyroi, 23 Emilie Boulard

Scotland v Wales
(Hive Stadium, Edinburgh; Kick-off 18.45, 16.45 GMT)

@rugby365: Scotland by 12 points

Teams:

Scotland:15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Francesca Mcghie, 10 Helen Nelson (captain), 9 Leia Brebner-Holden, 8 Evie Gallagher, 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 Christine Belisle, 19 Adelle Ferrie, 20 Alex Stewart, 21 Jade Konkel, 22 Caity Mattison, 23 Evie Wills

Wales: 15 Jasmine Joyce, 14 Lisa Neumann, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Kayleigh Powell, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Georgia Evans, 7 Bethan Lewis, 6 Kate Williams, 5 Alaw Pyrs, 4 Abbie Fleming, 3 Jenni Scoble, 2 Carys Phillips, 1 Maisie Davies
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Gwenllian Pyrs, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Gwen Crabb, 20 Bryonie King, 21 Meg Davies, 22 Courtney Keight, 23 Nel Metcalfe

Sunday, March 23

England v Italy
(York Stadium, York; Kick-off 17.00, 15.00 GMT)

@rugby365: England by 15 points

Teams:

England:15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Emily Scarrat, 12 Holly Aitchison, 11 Claudia Macdonald, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Lucy Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Marlie Packer, 6 Zoe Aldcroft (captain), 5 Lilli Ives Campion, 4 Rosie Galligan, 3 Maud Muir, 2 Amy Cokayne, 1 Kelsey Clifford
Replacements: 16 May Campbell, 17 Hanna Botterman, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Sadia Kabeya, 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Jade Shekells, 23 Ellie Kildunne

Italy: TBC

Additional source @AFP & @sixnationsrugby