6N Women - Round 4 Preview
Unbeaten England play unbeaten Italy at Sandy Park, the Chiefs' ground in Exeter on Friday, and some 10 thousand spectators are expected.
England have been very much the form team but this has been Italy's best year yet in the Women's Six Nations.
France, the Grand Slam winners last year, will be eager to make up for ground lost against England.
Fixtures Round 4
Scotland vs Wales at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
England vs Italy at Sandy Park, Exeter
Ireland vs France at Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin
Results
Round 1
England vs Ireland, 51-7 in Ireland
France vs Wales, 52-3 in France
Italy vs Scotland, 28-7 in Italy
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 Details
England vs Italy
There are four changes to the Red Roses starting team - at outside centre, left wing, scrumhalf, hooker and No.8. There is also a positional swap in which Jess Breach moves from left wing to right wing in the place of Abby Dow.
The No.8 change sees the return of captain Sarah Hunt with her 111 caps.
Italy have made four changes, one positional in which Beatrice Rigoni switches from inside centre to flyhalf.
If all goes to plan, outside centre Michela Sillari of Colorno will earn her 50th cap for Italy.
Teams
England: 15 Sarah McKenna, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Zoe Harrison, 11 Kelly Smith, 10 Katy Daley-Mclean, 9 Leanne Riley, 8 Sarah Hunter (captain), 7 Marlie Packer, 6 Sarah Beckett, 5 Abbie Scott, 4 Catherine O’Donnell,3 Sarah Bern, 2 Lark Davies, 1 Vickii Cornborough
Replacements: 16 Vicky Fleetwood, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Shaunagh Brown, 19 Poppy Cleall, 20 Jo Brown, 21 Natasha Hunt, 22 Rachael Burford, 23 Emily Scott
Italy: 15 Manuela Furlan (captain), 14 Aura Muzzo, 13 Michela Sillari, 12 Jessica Busato, 11 Sofia Stefan, 10 Beatrice Rigoni, 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 Francesca Sgorbini, 22 Maria Magatti, 23 Camilla Sarasso
Date: Saturday, 9 March 2019
Kick-off: 12.05
Venue: Sandy Park, Exeter
Expected weather conditions: Cold and wet. Rain with a high of 11°C and a low of 3°C
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)
Assistant referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Sara Cox (England)
Television match official: Eric Gauzins (France)
Timekeeper: Eric Bullion (England)
Assessor: Steven Harland (England)
Scotland vs Wales
Teams
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Hannah Smith, 12 Lisa Thomson (captain), 11 Annabel Sergeant, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Mhairi Grieve, 8 Jade Konkel, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 6 Rachel Malcolm, 5 Sarah Bonar, 4 Emma Wassell, 3 Mairi Forsyth, 2 Lana Skeldon, 1 Megan Kennedy
Replacements: 16 Jodie Rettie, 17 hhLisa Cockburn, 18 Katie Dougan, 19 Nicola Howat, 20 Debs McCormack, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Lisa Martin, 23 Abi Evans
Wales: 15 Lauren Smyth, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Lleucu George, 11 Jess Kavanagh, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Siwan Lillicrap, 7 Alex Callender, 6 Bethan Lewis, 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 Alisha Butchers, 20 Manon Johnes, 21 Ffion Lewis, 22 Lisa Neumann, 23 Elinor Snowsill
Date: Friday, 8 March 2019
Kick-off: 19.35
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Expected weather conditions: Miserable. Rain with a high of 8°C and a low of 2°C
Referee: Rebecca Mahoney (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Katherine Ritchie (England), tba (Scotland)
Television match official: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Ireland vs France
Irish outside centre Enya Breen, who is just 19, is set to make her debut for Ireland against France. She replaces Michelle Claffey. The other changes is at scrumhalf but there are five changes to the pack.
The big news for France is the return from injury of Jessy Trémoulière, World Rugby's Woman Player of the Year in 2018.
Teams
Ireland: 15 Lauren Delany, 14 Eimear Considine, 13 Enya Breen, 12 Sene Naoupu, 11 Alison Miller, 10 Nicole Fowley, 9 Kathryn Dane, 8 Claire McLaughlin, 7 Claire Molloy, 6 Ciara Griffin (captain), 5 Juliet Short, 4 Nichola Fryday, 3 Fiona Reidy, 2 Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, 1 Laura Feely
Replacements: 16 Emma Hooban, 17 Lindsay Peat, 18 Linda Djougang, 19 Anna Caplice, 20 Claire Boles, 21 Nicole Cronin, 22 Ellen Murphy, 23 Megan Williams
France: 15 Jessy Trémoulière, 14 Caroline Boujard, 13 Yolaine Yengo, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 11 Ian Jason, 10 Pauline Bourdon, 9 Yanna Rivoalen, 8 Romane Ménager, 7 Coumba Diallo, 6 Gaëlle Hermet (captain), 5 Audrey Forlani, 4 Céline Ferer, 3 Clara Joyeux, 2 Caroline Thomas, 1 Lise Arricastre
Replacements: 16 Laure Touye, 17 Dhia Maylis Traore, 18 Chloe Pelle, 19 Laetitia Bobo, 20 Fiona Lecat, 21 Emma Coudert, 22 Camille Imart, 23 Marine Ménager
Date: Saturday, 9 March 2019
Kick-off: 19.00
Venue: Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin
Expected weather conditions: Wet and freezing cold - rain with a high of 10°C and a low of 3°C
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)
Assistant referees: Nikki O'Donnell (England), Dermot Blake Ireland
Television match official: Claire Hodnett (England)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)