6N Women: Red Roses' Grand Slam Spring?
Europe is on the verge of spring and the Red Roses of England are on the verge of a Grand Slam. Unbeaten, they play winless Scotland.
The match takes place at Twickenham after the men have decided the Calcutta Cup's destination.
Italy could well give France a tough time in Padua while the match between Wales and Ireland should be close.
Log after Round 4
1. England with 20 points
2. France with 16 points
3. Italy with 12 points
4. Ireland with 7 points
5. Wales with 6 points
6. Scotland with 1 point
Results
Round 1
England vs Ireland, 51-7
France vs Wales, 52-3
Italy vs Scotland, 28-7
Round 2
Italy vs Wales, 3-3
Ireland vs Scotland, 22-5
England vs France, 41-26
Round 3
England vs Wales, 51-12
France vs Scotland, 41-10
Italy vs Ireland, 29-27
Round 4
Wales vs Scotland, 17-15
England vs Italy, 55-0
France vs Ireland, 47-17
Fixtures for Round 5
England vs Scotland at Twickenham
Wales vs Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park
Italy vs France at Stadio Plebiscito, Padua
Round 5 Details
England vs Scotland
England's starting team has five changes - at scrumhalf where Natasha Hunt and Leanne Riley swap places, loosehead, hooker and lock, where Poppy Cleall and Catherine O'Donnell change places and at hooker where Vicky Fleetwood moves from substitute hooker to starting flank.
Scotland have just three changes - at scrumhalf where Jenny Maxwell and Mhairi Grieve change places, at lock/flank where Sarah Bonar moves out to lock and Nicola Howat comes in from the bench.
Teams
England: 15 Sarah McKenna, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Zoe Harrison, 11 Kelly Smith, 10 Katy Daley-Mclean, 9 Natasha Hunt, 8 Sarah Hunter (captain), 7 Vicky Fleetwood, 6 Sarah Beckett, 5 Abbie Scott, 4 Poppy Cleall, 3 Sarah Bern, 2 Amy Cokayne, 1 Hannah Botterman
Replacements: 16 Lark Davies, 17 Vickii Cornborough, 18 Shaunagh Brown, 19 Catherine O’Donnell, 20 Marlie Packer, 21 Leanne Riley, 22 Rachael Burford, 23 Emily Scott
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Hannah Smith, 12 Lisa Thomson (captain), 11 Annabel Sergeant, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Jenny Maxwell, 8 Jade Konkel, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 6 Sarah Bonar, 5 Nicola Howat, 4 Emma Wassell, 3 Mairi Forsyth, 2 Lana Skeldon, 1 Megan Kennedy
Replacements: 16 Jodie Rettie, 17 Lisa Cockburn, 18 Katie Dougan, 19 Panashe Muzambe, 20 Debs McCormack, 21 Mhairi Grieve , 22 Lisa Martin, 23 Abi Evans
Date: Saturday, 16 March 2019
Kick-off: 19.30
Venue: Twickenham
Expected weather conditions: Overcast with a high of 13°C and a low of 4°C - not beach weather.
Referee: Joy Neville (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Nia Parsonage (England)
Timekeeper: Robert Ockenden (England)
Assessor: Alhambra Nievas (Spain)
Wales vs Ireland
Wales have only two changes from the team that beat Scotland. Versatile Elinor Snowsill and Alisha Butchers come off the bench and into the starting XV.
Ireland, too, have changed little. Alison Miller is injured again and Beibhinn Parsons, just 17 years of age, takes her place outside the team's other teenager Enya Breen who made her debut last week. In the other change loosehead Lindsay Peat is back from injury.
Teams
Wales: 15 Lauren Smyth, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Lleucu George, 11 Jess Kavanagh, 10 Elinor Snowsill, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Siwan Lillicrap, 7 Bethan Lewis, 6 Alisha Butchers, 5 Mel Clay, 4 Gwen Crabb, 3 Amy Evans, 2 Carys Phillips (captain), 1 Caryl Thomas
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Cara Hope, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Alex Callender, 20 Manon Johnes, 21 Ffion Lewis, 22 Robyn Wilkins, 23 Lisa Neumann
Ireland: 15 Lauren Delany, 14 Eimear Considine, 13 Enya Breen, 12 Sene Naoupu, 11 Beibhinn Parsons, 10 Nicole Fowley, 9 Kathryn Dane, 8 Claire McLaughlin, 7 Claire Molloy, 6 Ciara Griffin (captain), 5 Nichola Fryday, 4 Aoife McDermott, 3 Fiona Reidy, 2 Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, 1 Lindsay Peat
Replacements: 16 Emma Hooban, 17 Linda Djougang, 18 Laura Feely, 19 Edel McMahon, 20 Anna Caplice, 21 Nicole Cronin, 22 Ellen Murphy, 23 Laura Sheehan
Date: Sunday, 17 March 2019 - St Patrick's Day
Kick-off: 13.30
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park
Expected weather conditions: Cold. Partly cloudy with a high of 9°C and a low of 4°C
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Nikki O'Donnell (England), Andrew Moule (Wales)
Television match official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Assessor: Rob Davies (Wales)
Citing commissioner: Buster White (England)
Italy vs France
France have made three changes to their side. Yanna Rivoalen is injured and Romane Ménager is suspended after being sent off against Ireland. Gaëlle Hermet slips back to No.8 and Axelle Berthoumieu takes her captain's place on the flank in a debut start. Then at loosehead Maylis Traore and Lise Arricastre swap places. And the first five places on the bench are changed.
Teams
Italy: 15 Manuela Furlan (captain), 14 Aura Muzzo, 13 Michela Sillari, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Sofia Stefan, 10 Veronica Madia, 9 Sara Barattin, 8 Elisa Giordano, 7 Giada Franco, 6 Ilaria Arrighetti, 5 Giordana Duca, 4 Valentina Ruzza, 3 Lucia Gai, 2 Melissa Bettoni, 1 Gaia Giacomoli
Replacements: 16 Lucia Cammarano, 17 Silvia Turani, 18 Sara Tounesi, 19 Valeria Fedrighi, 20 Francesca Sberna, 21 Jessica Busato, 22 Maria Magatti, 23 Camilla Sarasso
France: 15 Jessy Trémoulière, 14 Caroline Boujard, 13 Yolaine Yengo, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 11 Ian Jason, 10 Pauline Bourdon, 9 Marie Saluzzo, 8 Gaëlle Hermet (captain), 7 Coumba Diallo, 6 Axelle Berthoumieu, 5 Audrey Forlani, 4 Céline Ferer, 3 Clara Joyeux, 2 Caroline Thomas, 1 Maylis Traore
Replacements: 16 Milena Soloch, 17 Lise Arricastre, 18 Katia Ambonguilat, 19 Marine Pellegris, 20 Emeline Gros, 21 Emma Coudert, 22 Camille Imart, 23 Marine Ménager
Date: Sunday, 17 March 2019
Kick-off: 14.30
Venue: Stadio Plebiscito, Padua
Expected weather conditions: Overcast with a high of 18°C and a low of 8°C
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Assistant referees: Laura Pettingale (England), tba (Italy)
Television match official: Leo Colgan (Ireland)