Women's Six Nations - Round 1

[Which Tyler]

Saturday, 22 March
12:45-14:45 - Ireland v France at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast (13:00 kick-off) - BBC Two Northern Ireland, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app
16:30-19:00 - Scotland v Wales at Hive Stadium, Edinburgh (16:45) - BBC Two, iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app

Sunday, 23 March
14:30-17:00 - England v Italy at York Community Stadium (15:00) - BBC Two, iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app



England
1 Kelsey Clifford
2 Amy Cokayne
3 Maud Muir
4 Rosie Galligan
5 Lilli Ives Campion
6 Zoe Alcroft (c)
7 Marlie Packer
8 Maddie Feaunati

09 Lucy Packer
10 Helena Rowland
11 Claudia Macdonald
12 Holly Aitchison
13 Emily Scarratt
14 Mia Venner
15 Emma Sing

16 May Campbell, 17 Hannah Botterman, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Sadia Kabeya
21 Flo Robinson, 22 Jade Shekells, 23 Ellie Kildunne

[Which Tyler]

@Puja - last year, IIRC, we had simultaneous threads in here and the women's board - where would you prefer it?

I don't think it gets enough traffic to do a thread for each match. I'll put it in both for now; kill whichever you/Sandy think is superfluous.

[Mr Mwenda]

Looking forward to this, buoyed by the positive finish to the men's tournament.

[Puja]

@Puja - last year, IIRC, we had simultaneous threads in here and the women's board - where would you prefer it?

I don't think it gets enough traffic to do a thread for each match. I'll put it in both for now; kill whichever you/Sandy think is superfluous.

Let's leave it in here - it's much more likely to get traffic. I would also be in favour of a new thread for each round - it's not like they cost anything and it does tend to get more engagement than one combined thread. Treat them with the important we expect that they should deserve.

Puja

[Danno]

@Puja - last year, IIRC, we had simultaneous threads in here and the women's board - where would you prefer it?

I don't think it gets enough traffic to do a thread for each match. I'll put it in both for now; kill whichever you/Sandy think is superfluous.

Let's leave it in here - it's much more likely to get traffic. I would also be in favour of a new thread for each round - it's not like they cost anything and it does tend to get more engagement than one combined thread. Treat them with the important we expect that they should deserve.

Puja

damn right

[Danno]

Benching Kildunne is interesting- wonder if she's carrying a knock or just being .... rested?

Maud Muir had a great season and a great final, definitely one to watch

[Which Tyler]

Benching Kildunne is interesting- wonder if she's carrying a knock or just being .... rested?

Maud Muir had a great season and a great final, definitely one to watch

Mitchell has said that he's testing combinations and new caps ahead of the WRWC this Autumn

[fivepointer]

Some of our better players not involved or on the bench. Mitchell testing the depth of the squad with this one.

[Which Tyler]

15. Vittoria OSTUNI MINUZZI
14. Aura MUZZO
13. Alyssa D'INCÀ
12. Beatrice RIGONI
11. Francesca GRANZOTTO
10. Veronica MADIA
9. Sofia STEFAN (c)

8. Francesca SGORBINI
7. Isabella LOCATELLI
6. Beatrice VERONESE
5. Giordana DUCA
4. Valeria FEDRIGHI
3. Sara SEYE
2. Laura GURIOLI
1. Silvia TURANI

16. Vittoria VECCHINI
17. Emanuela STECCA
18. Gaia MARIS
19. Sara TOUNESI
20. Giada FRANCO
21. Alia BITONCI
22. Emma STEVANIN
23. Beatrice CAPOMAGGI

[Which Tyler]

World cup year, and hardly anyone watching.

Let's hope York can do us proud tomorrow

[Which Tyler]

Okay, they're just a lot of late fans

[Which Tyler]

France the better team so far, but Ireland are still in this.

Ref is surely going going to lose patience with Irish players under Fr9's feet at every rick.
Mind you, players are going to lose patience with ref.s positioning at rucks as well - way too close in, regularly in the way of play

[Which Tyler]

A woman up for most of the 2nd half, and Ireland still not really exerting themselves - feels about even in terms of play.
Though Ireland do get a 3rd try from everyone joining a maul, to bring it back within a score.


ETA: then Fr15 nearly screws a try by stuttering before going, but the wing rescues it for her and keeps it alive for their 3rd try.
​Ire 15 - 27 France
75'

[Which Tyler]

[p/d]

Even though I have little interest in this are we tournament favourites?

[Which Tyler]

Yes, though it may not pan out that way if we're using it to develop new caps and new combinations, rather then fine tuning ahead of the RWC

[p/d]

Yes, though it may not pan out that way if we're using it to develop new caps and new combinations, rather then fine tuning ahead of the RWC

Cheers WT.

[Which Tyler]

Credit where it's due - I think this is the best display I've s even from Roche with the whistle.


Scotland the more adventurous, but Wales with the early score. Entertaining game.

[Which Tyler]

Laws question: What's a "shift ball maul" when it's at home?
TMO and ref both seem to know what they're talking about, so happy to accept that it's thing, but it sound like it's a penalty for setting up a rolling maul

[Which Tyler]

Stupid stupid stupid.
Hadn't realised it was Evans watching live.
Yellow card for collapsing a maul. First involvement(?) on rejoining is to put her shoulder into someone's face without any attempt to get low.

ETA: Sending to the bunker? Does that mean it's a 20 minute red, not 32?
If so, then that's a travesty (and is a travesty that bunker review can't give a full red)

[Which Tyler]

First bunker remains yellow, so is a full-red. Had it been upgraded to red, it would have been a fake one, with a replacement allowed after 20 minutes.
I wonder if that's why the bunker ref decided that way, as I didn't see any mitigation in the actions of Evans.

2nd bunker is rightly upgraded t red, wrongly a fake one. Reminiscent of the clear out on Dupont, and should be a full red.

[Which Tyler]

2 yellows, 1 of which should have been red = fake red!
FFS

[Which Tyler]

Excellent game of rugby that.

Well played Scotland, fully deserved winners

[Mr Mwenda]

Sorry, Which. I was coaching young master mwenda's floorball team at a tournament. Only watched the second game in a daze on delay but I noted some great scything Scottish breaks.

[Which Tyler]

Right, more likely to get spoiled for Bath Glos, so will catch this later - good luck ladies!