At last we reach the climax of the most dramatic and distorted Six Nations series.
First, our huge gratitude to everybody concerned in staging these delayed games; Their numbers are far larger than usual, as they involve all the medical experts needed to ensure the safety of the players off the pitch as well as on.
Complex matters like switching a game from Lille to Dublin show the desire of all parties to get the game going again, no matter what the inconvenience. The underlying doubt is that any rugby is safe in the grip of a pandemic; we have to accept the word of the experts that the risk is worth taking.
Fixtures:
Italy v England
France v Ireland (but played in Dublin)
Wales v Scotland
The story so far
France
Questions must be asked in high places about current standards and policies. They possess such fine players, yet they have now suffered two shock results in two seasons, first the loss in 2019 in Padua (12-31), then the recent draw in Glasgow.
One unexpected reverse can look like misfortune; two look like recklessness.
As with so many leading nations their eyes are set on twin targets: the Tokyo Olympics and the World Cup. Only New Zealand can confidently expect to reach medal standard in both.
Surely France should be carrying (nearly) all before them on the 6N front. Only England should prove a difficult nut to crack. It’s fascinating to imagine how the year might have developed if they’d been able to tour New Zealand as originally planned.
Now they must beat Ireland in Dublin to ensure another second place in the 6N. Both nations deserve congratulation on agreeing to the switch of venue; both want the game to be played at all costs; both have a lot to play for.
Then it is the double header against the Red Roses. Those two results will show what they and their management are really made of. They are quite capable of winning both; but so they were last season.
Ireland
Is this the beginning of an Irish renaissance? After four rounds they have lost only to England, and there they showed tremendous character in holding the champions to a single try after half-time. They made sure Italy’s dream of winning another away match came to nought last weekend.
Adam Griggs is slowly introducing younger talent into his group, though the need to draft Hannah Tyrrell in at No 10 and Ciara Cooney at lock shows the dearth of resources.
It will take a while to establish the necessary pathway to elite level. The more representative games young players can enjoy below full international level the better.
Their three wins are already two better than last year’s sad total. The switch of the France game to Dublin raises their hopes of finishing second. That would be a real advance.
Italy
The Azzurre still have not yet found take-off. It is a slow, painstaking route to the top. The chances are that they will reach it, by slowly extending their elite pool so there is real competition in every position.
They can claim to have suffered the effects of the pandemic more severely than any of their rivals. Lack of match fitness was a worry for every competing nation, but the Italians suffered its effects more than most.
Their performance in the opening stages of the Ireland match showed clearly what they are capable of. Given their lack of practice together, it bodes well for the future.
Di Giandomenico has had to make one change from last week, Maria Magatti returning in place of an injured Beatrice Capomaggi:
Manuela Furlan (captain, Arredissima Villorba, 74 caps)
Sara Barattin (Arredissima Villorba, 94)
Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais, France, 57 )
Giulia Cerato (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 4)
Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 17)
Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain, France, 21)
Giada Franco (HBS Colorno, 16)
Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 69)
Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 42)
Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno, 18)
Maria Magatti (CUS Milano, 32)
Benedetta Mancini (Unione Rugby Capitolina, 3)
Michela Merlo (Kawasaki Rugby Calvisano, 7)
Aura Muzzo (Arredissima Villorba, 13)
Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 3)
Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Padova, 42)
Francesca Sberna (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 5)
Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Romagnat, France, 4)
Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 56)
Erika Skofka (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 1)
Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 55)
Sara Tounesi (ASM Romagnat, France, 15)
Silvia Turani (FC Grenoble, France, 15)
Scotland
After their shock draw with France Brian Easson may be able to rid himself of the annoying word ‘Interim’ in his official title. When we think of other surprising results of recent years, chance may have played a certain role. At Scotstoun it was France’s miscalculation in running out of replacements with a quarter of the game to go. The Scots took their chance well, finding their unmarked winger just as the coaching manual suggests they should.
Now it is up to Easson and his coaching squad to ensure the surge of confidence the players have experienced leads to greater self-belief. The game in Cardiff is exactly what they need to prove themselves.
Hannah Smith shows the standards that can be reached by a determined player who remains in her homeland.
Wales
Things have gone badly awry. Even long after the disappearance of Rowland Phillips the WRU wasn’t able to offer its women’s squad a permanent replacement. Darren Edwards became a second ‘interim’ head coach among the Six Nations. In the meantime three coaches had shared the duties. How long does it make a permanent appointment to such an eminent position, even in the midst of a pandemic?
No team, however talented, can expect to produce its best when the leadership is so undecided. But it is a surprise to see the Welsh come into the last round with only a single point to their name.
Now they face a rejuvenated Scottish side, needing to win to avoid an unwelcome eighth wooden spoon.
England
Simon Middleton has announced his squad early for the Italy game:
Emily Scarratt (captain; Loughborough Lightning, 89 caps)
Abbie Ward (Harlequins, 42)
Abby Dow (Wasps, 12)
Alex Matthews (Worcester Warriors, 37)
Amber Reed (Bristol Bears, 57)
Amy Cokayne (Harlequins, 50)
Claudia MacDonald (Wasps, 9)
Detysha Harper (Loughborough Lightning, 1)
Ellie Kildunne (Wasps, 8)
Harriet Millar-Mills (Wasps, 55)
Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
Jess Breach (Harlequins, 13)
Katy Daley-Mclean (Sale Sharks, 114)
Lark Davies (Loughborough Lightning, 25)
Marlie Packer (Saracens, 71)
Morwenna Talling (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 54)
Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 40)
Sarah Beckett (Harlequins, 17)
Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 35)
Shaunagh Brown (Harlequins, 17)
Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins, 53)
Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 24)
Non-playing reserve: Heather Kerr (Wasps)
Just to show how extraordinary the year 2020 has been, here are the Red Rose side that played the first round in Pau alongside a possible (fanciful?) starting line-up for Parma nine months later:
PAU PARMA
15. Sarah McKenna Ellie Kildunne
14. Abby Dow Abbie Dow
13. Emily Scarratt Emily Scarratt
12. Zoe Harrison Amber Reed
11. Jess Breach Jess Breach
10. Katy Daley-McLean Katy Daley-McLean
9. Natasha Hunt Claudia Macdonald
1. Hannah Botterman Vickii Cornborough
2. Amy Cokayne Lark Davies
3. Shaunagh Brown Sarah Bern
4. Poppy Cleall Morwenna Talling
5. Zoe Aldcroft Abbie Ward
6. Sarah Beckett Alex Matthews
7. Vicky Fleetwood Marlie Packer
8. Sarah Hunter Harriet Millar-Mills
Once more unavailabilities play a major role in deciding final positions. The captain, Sarah Hunter, is one to suffer a recent injury.
Three of England’s crop of Sevens players find favour, Kildunne, Rowland and Matthews. No surprises there; all have been in great form. But it means Middleton was quite prepared to open selection to this group, although their availability for next year’s World Cup is still open to doubt. Only when we know for sure when it and the Olympics will take place, will it become plain whether players can sensibly compete in both.
Detysha Harper gets a second chance to cement a place in the front-row union. This is one unit of the squad that can still do with some fine tuning.
In too many tests recently the pack has been pushed into undignified retreat. The team has had sufficient skill elsewhere to ensure victory, but some of those wins have come by narrow margins and a lack of tries.
This is most unlikely to be the case in Parma. But the squad knows it must set itself the highest standards in every game. Then the French will come looking to put their sub-par performance at Scotstoun behind them when the two nations meet home and away later in the month.
