A whopping seven Worcester Valkyries will be in international action this weekend as the Women’s Six Nations comes to a close.
Rocky Clarke (Photo: Worcester Valkyries)
England Women will meet Ireland at Donnybrook Stadium on Friday as the two sides chase the championship title in only the second head-to-head Grand Slam finale in the history of the women’s tournament.
Valkyries’ Rochelle Clark starts for the Red Roses while Laura Keates, Bianca Blackburn and Lydia Thompson (pictured above) are all named among the replacements.
Kick-off is at 8pm and the game is live on Sky Sports Mix, EnglandRugby.com and England Rugby Facebook.
The Red Roses are playing for their first Six Nations title since 2012, with Ireland having won the championship twice in the past four years. The two sides have met four times since the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, with England winning the last three matches since Ireland’s 11-8 victory at Ashbourne in the 2015 Women’s Six Nations.
Valkyries number eight Shona Powell-Hughes is also set to start for Wales Women against France at Stade Amédée Domenech in Brive this Saturday (kick-off 8pm).
Meanwhile, Valkyries prop Tracy Balmer starts for Scotland Women and back row Lyndsay O’Donnell is named on the bench for Friday’s match against Italy Women at Broadwood Stadium (kick-off 6.20pm).
England Women
15 Danielle Waterman (Bristol, 67 caps)
14 Amy Wilson Hardy (Bristol, 6 caps)
13 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield, 65 caps)
12 Amber Reed (Bristol, 36 caps)
11 Kay Wilson (Richmond, 41 caps)
10 Emily Scott (Saracens, 20 caps)
9 La Toya Mason (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 63 caps)
1 Rochelle Clark (Worcester Valkyries, 121 caps)
2 Amy Cokayne (Lichfield, 24 caps)
3 Justine Lucas (Lichfield, 18 caps)
4 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 102 caps)
5 Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield, 42 caps)
6 Alex Matthews (Richmond, 28 caps)
7 Marlie Packer (Bristol, 44 caps)
8 Sarah Hunter (Bristol, 89 caps) (c)
Replacements
16 Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens, 58 caps)
17 Vickii Cornborough (Aylesford Bulls, 22 caps)
18 Laura Keates (Worcester Valkyries, 59 caps)
19 Poppy Cleall (Bristol, 11 caps)
20 Izzy Noel-Smith (Bristol, 28 caps)
21 Bianca Blackburn (Worcester Valkyries, 17 caps)
22 Rachael Burford (Aylesford Bulls, 64 caps)
23 Lydia Thompson (Worcester Valkyries, 30 caps)
Wales Women
15 Elinor Snowsill (Newport Gwent Dragons)
14 Jasmine Joyce (Scarlets)
13 Gemma Rowland (Newport Gwent Dragons)
12 Rebecca De Filippo (Newport Gwent Dragons)
11 Adi Taviner (Ospreys)
10 Robyn Wilkins (Ospreys)
9 Sian Moore (Newport Gwent Dragons)
1 Caryl Thomas (Scarlets)
2 Carys Phillips (c) (Ospreys)
3 Amy Evans (Ospreys)
4 Rebecca Rowe (Newport Gwent Dragons)
5 Mel Clay (Ospreys)
6 Sioned Harries (Scarlets)
7 Rachel Taylor (Scarlets)
8 Shona Powell-Hughes (Worcester Valkyries)
Replacements
16 Lowri Harries (Scarlets)
17 Cerys Hale (Newport Gwent Dragons)
18 Catrin Edwards (Scarlets)
19 Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys)
20 Alisha Butchers (Scarlets)
21 Keira Bevan (Ospreys)
22 Jodie Evans (Scarlets)
23 Jessica Kavanagh-Williams (Scarlets)
Scotland Women
15 Chloe Rollie (Murrayfield Wanderers, 16 caps)
14 Megan Gaffney (Edinburgh University, 24 caps)
13 Lisa Thomson (Edinburgh University, 11 caps)
12 Lisa Martin (C) (Murrayfield Wanderers, 36 caps)
11 Rhona Lloyd (Edinburgh University, 11 caps)
10 Helen Nelson (Murrayfield Wanderers, 8 caps)
9 Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers/Edinburgh University, 29 caps)
1 Tracy Balmer (Worcester Valkyries, 42 caps)
2 Lana Skeldon (Hillhead Jordanhill, 20 caps)
3 Katie Dougan (Edinburgh University, 8 caps)
4 Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers, 22 caps)
5 Deborah McCormack (Aylesford Bulls, 22 caps)
6 Jemma Forsyth (Hillhead Jordanhill, 20 caps)
7 Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill, 6 caps)
8 Jade Konkel (Hillhead Jordanhill, 26 caps)
Replacements
16 Rachel Malcolm (Lichfield, 3 caps)
17 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill, 88 caps)
18 Lindsey Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill, 36 caps)
19 Sarah Bonar (Lichfield, 6 caps)
20 Lyndsay O’Donnell (Worcester, 13 caps)
21 Jenny Maxwell (Lichfield, 14 caps)
22 Lauren Harris (Melrose, 18 caps)
23 Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers, 15 caps)
Report courtesy of Worcester Valkyries
