6N Women, Round 3
England have won two out of two; Wales have lost one and drawn one of their two. These two teams meet in Round 3 of the Women's Six Nations at the famous Cardiff Arms Park.
One would expect a third big win for England, and yet if any opponent can get the best out of the Welsh, it would be England.
Round 1 Results
England vs Ireland, 51-7 in Ireland
France vs Wales, 52-3 in France
Italy vs Scotland, 28-7 in Italy
Round 2 Results
Italy vs Wales, 3-3
Ireland vs Scotland, 22-5
England vs France, 41-26
Round 3 Fixtures
Wales vs England
France vs Scotland
Italy vs Ireland
Wales vs England
Wales have yet to win a match, England yet to lose one.
Wales have made five changes to their starting team against Italy in Round 2. Lauren Smyth Alicia McComish Lisa Neumann Manon Johnes and Natalia Joh are no longer there, though Lauren Smyth, Lisa Neuman and Natalia John are on the bench.
Rampant England have made seven changes. In one of them, the captain Sarah Hunt leaves the starting team for the comfort of the bench.
Teams
Wales: 15 Elinor Snowsill, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Hannah Bluck, 11 Jess Kavanagh, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Siwan Lillicrap, 7 Alex Callender, 6 Bethan Lewis, 5 Gwen Crabb, 4 Mel Clay, 3 Amy Evans, 2 Carys Phillips (captain), 1 Caryl Thomas
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Cara Hope, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Natalia John, 20 Alisha Butchers, 21 Ffion Lewis, 22 Lisa Neumann, 23 Lauren Smyth
England: England: 15 Sarah McKenna, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Rachael Burford, 12 Zoe Harrison, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Katy Daley-Mclean, 9 Natasha Hunt, 8 Poppy Cleall, 7 Marlie Packer, 6 Sarah Beckett, 5 Abbie Scott, 4 Catherine O’Donnell,3 Sarah Bern, 2 Amy Cokayne, 1 Vickii Cornborough
Replacements: 16 Lark Davies, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Shaunagh Brown, 19 Jo Brown, 20 Sarah Hunter, 21 Claudia Macdonald, 22 Carys Williams, 23 Emily Scott
Date: Sunday 24 February 2019
Kick-off: 12.30
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy and the coldest day in a week with a high of 12°C and a low of 4°C.
Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Assistant referees: Maria Pacifico (Italy), Kelvin Short (Wales)
Television match official: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
France vs Scotland
Good news for embattled Scotland is the return of experienced Jade Konkel from injury. No.8 against Ireland, Sarah Bonar moves to flank in the place of Rachel Malcolm who is injured.
Teams
France: 15 Doriane Constanty, 14 Léa Murie, 13 Marine Ménager, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 11 Ian Jason, 10 Emma Coudert, 9 Pauline Bourdon, 8 Romane Ménager, 7 Coumba Diallo, 6 Gaëlle Hermet (captain), 5 Audrey Forlani, 4 Safi N’Diaye, 3 Clara Joyeux, 2 Caroline Thomas, 1 Dhia Maylis Traore
Replacements: 16 Laure Touye, 17 Lise Arricastre, 18 Sabine Argagnon, 19 Lénaïg Corson, 20 Céline Ferer, 21 Yanna Rivoalen, 22 Camille Imart, 23 Caroline Boujard
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Hannah Smith, 12 Lisa Thomson (captain), 11 Annabel Sergeant, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Sarah Law, 8 Jade Konkel, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 6 Sarah Bonar, 5 Nicola Howat, 4 Emma Wassell, 3 Megan Kennedy, 2 Lana Skeldon, 1 Lisa Cockburn
Replacements: 16 Jodie Rettie, 17 Katie Dougan, 18 Mairi Forsyth , 19 Lucy Winter, 20 Debs McCormack, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Lisa Martin, 23 Abi Evans
Date: Saturday, 23 February 2019
Kick-off: 20.00
Venue: Stadium Metropole, Lille
Expected weather conditions: Sunny but icy cold when the sun goes down - a high of 14°C and a freezing low of -1°C
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Assistant referees: Joy Neville (Ireland), tba (France)
Television match official: Claire Hodnett (England)
Italy vs Ireland
These two teams have fewest changes.
Italian locks have swapped places - Valeria Fedrighi from the bench to the starting team and Valentina Ruzza from the starting team to the bench. There is an interesting change on the bench where Lucia Cammarano moves from loose forward replacement to hooker replacement.
The changes to the Irish side is on the bench where Linda Djougang, Kathryn Dane and Megan Williams are replaced.
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 Valeria Fedrighi, 3 Lucia Gai, 2 Melissa Bettoni, 1 Silvia Turani
Replacements: 16 Lucia Cammarano, 17 Silvia Turani, 18 Sara Tounesi, 19 Valentina Ruzza, 20 Francesca Sberna, 21 Francesca Sgorbini, 22 Jessica Busato, 23 Camilla Sarasso
Ireland: 15 Lauren Delany, 14 Eimear Considine, 13 Sene Naoupu, 12 Michelle Claffey, 11 Alison Miller, 10 Nicole Fowley, 9 Ailsa Hughes, 8 Ciara Griffin (captain), 7 Claire Molloy, 6 Anna Caplice, 5 Nichola Fryday, 4 Aoife McDermott, 3 Leah Lyons, 2 Emma Hooban, 1 Laura Feely
Replacements: 16 Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, 17 Lindsay Peat, 18 Fiona Reidy, 19 Claire Boles, 20 Claire McLaughlin, 21 Ailsa Hughes, 22 Ellen Murphy, 23 Laura Sheehan
Date: Saturday, 23 February 2019
Kick-off: 19.45
Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Expected weather conditions: Sunny but cold with a high of 9°C and a low of -1°C.
Referee: Laura Pettingale (England)
Assistant referees: Aurélie Groizeleau (France), tba (Italy)
Television match official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)