It’s a tough call playing two internationals on successive weekends. Perhaps it’s only fair that the one team of full-time professionals have to travel away for the second time running.
The three fixtures:
Saturday 2 April
France v Ireland
Ireland have a hard weekend ahead of them as they face France in Toulouse. Greg McWilliams has to decide whether youth is still the best way forward against a much stronger unit than Wales, who outlasted his side in the second half.
The fourteen penalties the Irish conceded can be put down to a number of reasons, including inexperience. England and France helped themselves pre-season by asking test referees to oversee training matches. Is Joy Neville doing the same for her team?
McWilliams has the hardest task of all six head coaches. He opted for a squadron of new and newish faces; they couldn’t quite last the pace. He will surely recall Beibhinn Parsons to a starting position, to give his pack a prime focus for quick possession.
If Ireland can put in a performance to match the Scots’ against England, the management must be well pleased.
The French squad know changes are on the card; that is stated policy. Players retained may well feel they are in pole position for future operations. Both Maïlys Traoré and Safi N’Diaye are back in business, so the Irish can expect few mercies.
Wales v Scotland
This is the key match of the round. Scotland must target a rare away win at the Arms Park, but the Welsh will be buoyed by their triumph in Dublin. It reminds us of the all-important third place in this year’s championship, which secures a place in the top tier of next year’s WXX – a reward worth giving your all for.
Ioan Cunningham will be delighted with his team’s first outing, but may want to see other faces at kick-off. Donna Rose was one of several players in Round One to make a strong impression coming off the bench. She scored two tries from tight- head.
It’s far harder this year predicting the final order of the ‘other’ four nations. Both Wales and Scotland showed they could last the pace, Wales to overturn a half-time deficit, Scotland to deny England a try in the last 13 minutes, when the Red Roses normally turn the knife.
Sunday 3 April
Italy v England
Though Italy battled hard against a talented French side roared on by 13,000 fervent supporters, it’s impossible to see them reducing recent margins of defeat against the world champions.
They have discovered an inside-centre, Alyssa D’Inca, of great promise, but it needs more talent of that order to advance against the toughest opposition. Now safely through to the World Cup, they must target third place in the 6N as the only acceptable launch-pad to greater things.
The Red Rose squad, like the French, is likely to show many changes from Edinburgh. Until we know the shape of their summer programme, it’s hard to tell just how much on-field time any one player can hope to enjoy between now and October.
Some basics did go wrong against Scotland – three dropped passes early on – but many of them were due to the extreme pace they set themselves. There were far more long, deep passes across field than they normally attempt; these were a sign of high ambition and very pleasing to the eye.
Attendances
France still shows the world the way when it comes to attracting an audience. Bayonne RFC already claim to have sold every available ticket for the Le Crunch 2022-version.
All three stadiums in Round One claimed a new record (of varying types), which is a fantastic send-off for the new championship.
Gloucester announce they are a few short of 11,000 takers for their Red Roses match. We’ve put the ‘friends and family’ turn-out firmly behind us, but what should English grounds be aiming at in these enlightened times? Should Kingsholm and Welford Road be filled to capacity, or is that too much to expect?
