A look at Cymru, Ireland, and Scotland
Less than three weeks to go, and here’s a first look forward to this latest version of the great annual championship. I’ll consider the Celtic nations here.
First the background
What are the chances of an upset this year? Not very strong, I fear. Pick any starting XV you like for the Red Roses, then jot down an alternative side, and you might suspect it too could walk off with the trophy. Such is the English strength in depth.
Each year we can point to improved performances from the Celtic nations. But the race-leaders don’t slacken their pace either. All we can hope for in the long run is a slow catch-up and increasingly narrow margins of victory.
They have all benefited from the Celtic Challenge. It remains to be seen who has gained the most.
Now the three in turn
Cymru
Cymru (I bow to national wishes and use the native term) has the most straightforward target of all six; They must finish third, if they are to retain their position in WXV1. Ioan Cunningham has reduced his mid-February squad of 47 to 37. He waited to watch the final final round of the CC as it involved a local Welsh derby in Llanelli.
The Squad:
Forwards: Gwenllian Pyrs, Abbey Constable, Carys Phillips, Kelsey Jones, Molly Reardon, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Donna Rose, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Bryonie King, Shona Wakley, Alisha Butchers, Georgia Evans, Alex Callender, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Gwennan Hopkins (19)
Backs: Jasmine Joyce, Nel Metcalfe, Jenny Hesketh, Courtney Keight, Kayleigh Powell, Cath Richards, Lisa Neumann, Amelia Tutt, Hannah Jones (captain), Kerin Lake, Hannah Bluck, Carys Cox, Lleucu George, Mollie Wilkinson, Niamh Terry, Keira Bevan, Sian Jones, Meg Davies (18)
Development players: Hanna Marshall, Seren Singleton, Maisie Davies, Cadi-Lois Davies and Alaw Pyrs
As with the English squad, the balance between forwards and backs is striking. But Cunningham gives himself elbow-room by nominating the relatively large number of 37. That is explained by the addition of five players plucked from the Under 20s.
There are the usual additions and omissions to attract attention. As expected, Jenny Hesketh (Bristol Bears) makes the grade, a former England Under-20 captain who qualifies by right with a Welsh mother. A player with a very different background returns to arms, Shona Wakley, once better known as Powell-Hughes, is closing on 50 caps.
Cunningham introduces no fewer than seven uncapped players, two from the PWR (Hesketh and Cath Richards (Gloucester-Hartpury), and five from the CC, which proves its value. They are: Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Gwennan Hopkins, Mollie Wilkinson and Sian Jones.
The other side of the coin inevitable means omissions. They include Robyn Wilkins, Carys Williams-Morris, Cerys Hale and Meg Webb. Better news sees the recall of Natalia John and Gwen Crabb from injury, and Welsh fans will be delighted that the GB 7s management has allowed both Jasmine Joyce and Kayleigh Powell to take part.
Hannah Jones remains as captain.
The Welsh have much to look forward to, not least a visit to the Principlaity Stadium for their fifth round match against Italy.
So many of their best players are involved with England’s top clubs, including vast numbers in unbeaten Gloucester-Hartpury’s unbeaten side. Surely they must carry that confidence across to the 6N. Keira Bevan (Bears) has been playing out of her skin this season. She did so last year as well, but this time shouldn’t need to look like a one-woman show. With Lleucu George installed outside her, the team’s game-plan can alter radically from the past. One well-placed hoof, and the balance of territory swings heavily in the red shirts’ favour. The half-back link looks the strongest of the three nations.
The side did well to qualify for WXV1 – just. We don’t yet know whether that winless experience in New Zealand gives them the jump on their Celtic rivals. The contrast in their position with Scotland’s, unbeaten at the top of WXV 2, offers one of the fascinations of the coming tournament.
In comparing those WXV results we should bear in mind the arbitrary choice of opposition each nation faced. Cymru’s campaign (Canada, NZ, Australia) was infinitely tougher than Scotland’s (South Africa, Japan, USA).
Scotland
There’s a lot going in the Scots’ favour.
First, they delighted their management and supporters by winning the WXV2 trophy. Second, there is a lot of competition for places, much depending on the speed of recovery from injury of a few players. Third, those contracts: Francesca McGhie and Eva Donaldson have won the full-time version; Shona Campbell, Rhona Lloyd and Lisa Thomson (GB7s) are on duals, which gives hope that they may make repeated appearances in the 6N. Next, the arrival of new faces on the list can only add optimism. But it’s a big blow for Meg Varley, who has been ruled out of the entire tournament by injury after tearing up roots for Bristol.
Edinburgh Rugby’s showing in the Celtic Challenge (they finished second) has achieved a basic aim: to throw up names of lesser known players. Much will depend on positional strength. Where Bryan Easson is less sure of his best pick, uncapped players have a better chance of finding favour. By contrast, Sarah Denholm, Edinburgh’s fly-half, may have to bide her time, as Helen Nerlson, Beth Blacklock and Meryl Smith stand in her path. Cieron Bell impressed on the wing in the CC, but Lloyd, McGhie and Coreen Grant will probably be invited first.
It’s competition of this sort that raises team standards.
One name that can’t be added is Briar McNamara, once a Kiwi. Despite prominent showings in the CC, she does not yet qualify by residency. She didn’t arrive in Scotland soon enough.
On the debit side, Jade Konkel’s absence will undoubtedly be felt. But it’s only when a great player is missing that every member of the team knows she has to pull out all the stops.
You can see the full squad here.
Ireland
The Irish game is still severely short of funding. In many parts of the country players can’t get the support that more affluent nations take for granted. Grants made to individual provinces fall far short of requirements.
Another limiting factor is competition from other sports, most notably GAA and soccer (I have to use that term to distinguish it from other forms of football in the Emerald Isle). As with so many other countries, the best players funnel into two or three top clubs – here Old Belvedere, UL Bohemians and Railway Union. That brings advantages of team togetherness, but a wide player-pool is always preferable.
On paper the Irish squad picked by the new man, Scott Bemand, looks full of promise. But a striking feature is the lack of international experience. Only four have topped 20 caps, and only the splendid Linda Djougang has passed 30. Talent should always count for more than age, but this is a reminder of the disappearance of important team members, not least Nichola Fryday, the captain. She had to carry a huge responsibility during hard times.
The question is whether the players have all recovered from that period of neglect. They came out top on their visit to WXV3, but are aware that the competition there could in no way compare with what lies before them in Europe. Their two teams performed well in the Celtic Challenge too, revealing new and developing talent in the ranks. Competition for places adds a cutting edge. The return of seven garlanded Sevens players helps immensely.
Whatever the outcome of the 6N, everyone must wish that Ireland can improve on their winless 2023 record.
The Irish squad (35);
Forwards (19): Claire Boles (Railway Union), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere)*, Megan Collis (Railway Union), Eimear Corri (Blackrock College), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere), Christy Haney (Blackrock College), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere), Shannon Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders)*, Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpuryr), Sadhbh McGrath (MU Barnhall/Cooke),
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs, co-captain), Grace Moore (Saracens), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury, co-captain), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere), Andrea Stock (Ealing Trailfinders)*, Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere, Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College)
Backs (16): Natasja Behan (Blackrock College), Enya Breen (Blackrock College), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere)*, Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College), Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians), Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere)*, Katie Heffernan (Railway Union)*, Eve Higgins (Railway Union), Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union),
Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian)*, Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere)*
Training Panellists (7): India Daley (Blackrock College)*, Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian)*, Ivana Kiripati (Tuam-Oughterard)*,
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union), Kayla Waldron (Railway Union)*
1st, 2nd, 3rd?
Quite frankly it’s impossible to predict the order in which these three sides will finish. And that’s what makes the competition so engaging. What is certain is the increasing strength of all three squads.
No, I’ll climb down off the fence and place Cymru at the head.
