France, Italy, England
France
Audrey Forlani is a shining example of bad luck turning to good. She was disappointed beyond measure at not making the trip to the World Cup. Then she received a phone call from the newly installed co-coaches asking if she’s like to captain the national team. She said yes!
She has captained Blagnac for four seasons, and they are sitting pretty at the top of the tree. The latest stage of preparation before the Round One trip to Italy even took place there. So eleven of the 36-strong squad were at home.
Inevitably the side she leads will show changes from last year, the latest being the sad withdrawal of Romane Ménager. The news came late, only nine days before kick-off; that is where coaches earn their corn. When she has been missing in the past, Emeline Gros or the ex-skipper, Gaëlle Hermet, have slotted in there. But the need is to keep up the overall strength and balance of the back-row.
The pack will remain strong, but the double absence of Madoussou Fall and Ménager cannot be masked with fine words.
Who’s in charge at No 10?
Much will depend on who wears the No 10 shirt. You can sense the concern of French fans; they responded to the news of the group with one question: Drouin? But she is away with the 7s squad.
If it is Jessy Trémoulière, then the opposition can expect a barrage of deep and searching kicks. But back-rows will be less worried about her slipping past them as Caroline Drouin can do.
Among the youngsters Lilou Graciet is another possibility. She has made her mark in World 7s, but No.10 in Fifteens is a different story entirely.
The change may affect the potential of a talented back-line. Gabrielle Vernier and Maëlle Filopon must remain the likeliest centre pairing. But then, does Tremouliere have the skill to vary the type of attack, especially taking the ball really flat? If she doesn’t play there, then it’s between her and Emilie Boulard for the No 15 shirt.
This will be her swansong, so she will be leaving nothing out on the paddock.
Even without Joanna Grisez and Chloé Jacquet on the wide outside, les Bleues still have the redoubtable Cyrielle Banet and Caroline Boujard, with Marine Ménager as a powerful back-up. And Boulard can double up as full-back and winger as a further threat.
Gaëlle Mignot admits that picking a first squad will be complicated. They should prove too strong again for most of their opponents. Whether they can turn up trumps at Twickenham remains the central question. Let’s wait till we’ve got four rounds out of the way.
Italy
The first opponents of the Azzurre are France. Was that almost inevitable after les Bleues ended their chances at the World Cup?
They had a useful warm-up match early in February against Spain in Barcelona, but that was a world away from the challenges that will face them in the 6N.
Goivanni Rainieri has to overcome the psychological loss of three leading players, captain Manuela Furlan, Maria Magatti and Melissa Bettoni. The reinstatement of Sara Barattin came as a big surprise after she had confirmed her retirement. I fear I see that as a sign of overall weakness; are her rivals still not good enough?
Veronica Madia at fly-half looked far more at home last season than previously; with Beatrice Rigoni alongside her she could cause a lot of mischief. When the team is on song, they play an off-loading game that is thrilling to watch. That approach demands great skill, and all too often last season a single handling error brought a promising move to grief. It gave England two early walk-in tries. We can only hope that Rainieri is happy to continue that approach.
The Italian fixture-card is tricky. After that French game at home, they have to visit Northampton, where England topped 50 against the Black Ferns. So their chances of repeating that one glorious second place in 2019 look slim. But their three fixtures against the Celts will be the real marker for them.
As with the five other squads, we have to wait to see just how promising the new faces prove to be.
England
It’s not quite the turn of the tide yet, but you can see it coming. Simon Middleton proves not to be the permanent head coach; he will step down after the blockbuster at Twickenham.
Likewise Sarah Hunter will draw her unparalleled career to a close. She is keen to turn out as England play Scotland near to her home patch at Kingston Park Newcastle.
For the first time in a long while, nobody (including the selectors?) can be sure who will be playing where in that Round One game.
Currently the key positions up for debate are No 1, No 5 and the midfield. Who plays there may well affect decisions over other choices.
Both Vickii Cornborough and Hannah Botterman are missing at loose-head. For me, the likeliest choice is Maud Muir, of whom the selectors have the highest regard. But it’s a real challenge switching from one side of the scrum to the other. Eventually she may (have to) give up the valued description ‘versatile’, but at present it’s very useful for England.
Abbie Ward’s replacement at No 5 is unclear. Presumably Rosie Galligan stands near the head of the queue. The two Loughborough locks, Cath O’Donnell and Morwenna Talling, are also in contention, but Lightning’s performances this season have been a great disappointment for them. I suspect the choice may fall once more on Poppy Cleall.
That allows more elbow-room for the back-row, where competition remains acute – Hunter, Marlie Packer (both co-captains), Alex Matthews (if fit), Sarah Beckett and Sadia Kabeya are the leading contenders, though I would have kept Cleall at No 8 from way back. That is a very unpopular opinion.
The midfield trio is equally up for grabs: no Harrison, no Scarratt, Rowland still on the mend. That news will hearten their opponents and may send the odd shiver down the spine of Red Rose fans. Such shivers would do the 6 Nations a heap of good though.
The current leaders in the race for the 10 shirt must be Holly Aitchison and the uncapped Lizzie Duffy (Sale Sharks). It would be typical of Middleton to send the youngster out to start a game. ‘I have full confidence in all the squad,’ etc.
Tatyana Heard deserves to start at 12, but it will be fascinating to see whether Amber Reed (60 caps already) can satisfy the selectors that she has returned to her best form. Lagi Tuima has been in and out of the team; like Reed she is better suited to inside-centre.
None of those mentioned can call the No 13 shirt their natural home – and not just because Emily Scarratt has worn it for so long with such distinction. The only new addition to the party is Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs), whom Susie Appleby has played in that position – but only when a phalanx of overseas players (Zackary, Cantorna, McGoverne, Cramer) have left room for her.
That leaves us with Sarah McKenna, whose fate in recent seasons has been to act as a fill-in in a variety of positions (15, 12, 11), while her talents have suggested she should be used far more consistently.
One of England’s biggest challenges will be to return to imaginative back-play. They were heavily criticised when in New Zealand (Kiwis enjoyed leading the charge) for depending too much on forward domination, which in practice meant the catch-and-drive, where they were unequalled.
Do they use the boot too much to establish position? Every frowning critic will answer yes, but it helps when a good touch-finder leads to a praiseworthy score. Time and again against the Black Ferns in England they played an imaginative quick-handling game; far less often against them and France in Aotearoa.
If the midfield can settle in quickly, then the wide backs should prove too hot to handle for all but the very best opposition – and we know who they are.
Behind all these doubts lies the management’s overall policy. They have indirectly admitted their error in leaving Mo Hunt at home. Their reading of the game-plan before the RWC now looks strangely defensive. Why no quick-taps? Why shun the unexpected?
Will they play horses for courses, one way of asking whether they will give as many of the squad as possible meaningful onfield time in preparation for the World Cup? There are so many new faces, We must hope that none of them suffer the fate that befell Merryn Doidge and Flo Robinson, when they were due to debut at the lights-out game in Lille, and haven’t been seen since.
It’s heartening to know the players have spent time with the Under 18 and Under 20 squads. This helps enormously to build a sense of unity and continuity.
