We have enjoyed the biggest build-up to the 6N ever. TikTok have thrown their publicity weight behind the operation, and old and new-style media have covered stories in depth.
First the coming fixtures:
Round Two
April 1 Ireland v France, Musgrave Park, Cork, 15.15
April 1 Scotland v Wales, DAM, Edinburgh, 17.30
April 2 England v Italy, Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, 15.00
As for the teams:
It’s too early to judge whether the perennial ‘chasers’, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, are really catching up on the market leaders, England and France. Just the one result so far to affect our judgement, the trans-alpine match on Sunday.
Italy
It was encouraging for Italy that France were unable to race away with the game, but the adverse conditions made ball-control tricky. The closeness of the result (12-22) may inspire Italian confidence, but losses don’t mean prizes. At the back of their minds the Azzurre may be looking at the sunnier uplands of Rounds 3-5 where they can really test their mettle.
It’s very early days for Giovanni Raineri. It was a pity the poor weather prevented him from seeing his players reach the standards they are capable of. They can expect little mercy from an England side that rather enjoys playing at Franklin’s Gardens.
Ireland
‘Lots to learn’, said Nichola Fryday.
The effect of their heart-rending absence from the World Cup was all too plain to see.
Greg McWilliams admitted the seriousness of their position. They were outplayed by a tough Welsh side benefiting from longer exposure to contracts, which gave them superiority in set-scrum, breakdown and organisation. The question is how long will it take his team to catch up. It was noticeable how difficult some of their leading players (eg Nichola Fryday, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang and Sam Monaghan) found it to make their presence felt. Monaghan looked like a marked woman; time and again she was chopped down by double tackles.
If you keep omitting Cliodhna Moloney from the squad, how much sympathy can you expect?
Very little from the French, who will be hoping for dryer conditions to get their combined plays running smoothly. They had to grind out the victory in Parma. At least the atmosphere in Cork is likely to be very different. The compact ground should be packed, so the French will be contending with the legendary 16th player.
Wales
The Welsh are targeting three wins.
They must be full of confidence after their decisive performance at Cardiff. They have a good chance of starting the campaign with two successive wins for the second year running. The question this time is whether they can continue to prosper. That was the big disappointment in 2022.
They are beginning to build some strength in depth. The absence of Donna Rose was hardly noticed as Sisilia Tuipulotu dominated the scene.
Central questions remain. For how much longer will the squad be stationed ‘abroad’, that is in England? For all the change in attitudes at board level, that vital step still looks far off. You cannot set up a viable home league quickly. And since the men’s regional programme is falling apart amidst loud recriminations, it makes a solution to the women’s problems at club level look all the more insoluble.
Scotland
‘Glimpses of what is possible’.
It’s unfair to judge the Scots on a single performance against the auld enemy, but the fear remains that they will suffer another unrewarding campaign. They started brightly in Newcastle, looking fitter and more organised than for a long while. But they couldn’t achieve a score till the till near the end. Keeping the English out took a lot of defensive effort.
They are rebuilding brick by brick; it’s a slow process. And there is an urgent need for more competition for places, otherwise Bryan Easson will be dealing with with an ever-ageing squad.
On the weekend’s performances alone, a victory over the Welsh looks improbable.
England
I can’t remember the last time England were missing so many players. Key positions were up for grabs (1, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15), but a runaway win in Newcastle calmed the nerves of any faint-hearted spectators.
The one certain change will be at No 8, after the departure of the feted leader, Sarah Hunter. Yet more praise has been heaped on her shoulders from all sides. It was her quality as a leader that will be tested in her absence.
In my view, the most experienced squad in world rugby (Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Ward, Packer, Poppy Cleall, Hunt, Infante, Matthews, Reed, Scarratt and Thompson all have 50+ caps) needs a calm guiding voice less than all its opponents. If Poppy Cleall is restored to No 8, England are likely to find even more holes in opposing defences than last week’s starting Fifteen did.
Overall
The trouble is, as the less successful squads set their house in order and improve standards, so do the leaders out front. England now use the slogan ‘Grow the Gap’, which is a sensible approach for them, but can only lead to yet more one-sided games.
I remember wondering in 2019 how much longer people would be willing to turn up to matches where they win by 80+ points (they did so at Twickenham that year). Which brings us directly to attendances.
Attendances
They are leaping ahead. So my concerns about one-sided matches aren’t supported by the figures – yet. But the nations facing the England steamroller can extract only so much enjoyment from seeing their team being valiant in defeat. It will be fascinating to see how this all works out over the coming years. We can be sure the publicists will do their darndest to overlook this aspect of the scene. Unions are becoming savvier about advertising their product.
Wales established a new record at the Arms Park last week, neatly reflecting the smiling optimism that has replaced years of neglect. Kingston Park was (nearly) sold out, a rare phenomenon. But when will England next be seen there? Italy’s crowd didn’t look vast, but the conditions didn’t favour a large attendance. They are the one nation still to see a big increase in gates.
For England fans only:
Your very own Team
If time hangs heavy for you between now and next weekend, you might try assembling an England XV from the following non-availables of Round One. Some, we know, are out for the duration and I’ve excluded the newbies, but I’m not one for rules. Choose whoever you like:
Botterman, Bryony Cleall, Cornborough, Fleetwood, Galligan, Harper, Harrison, Hunt, Infante, Leitch, Keates, Kildunne, Matthews, McKenna, Muir, Powell, Rowland, Scarratt, Talling, Thompson, Ward
or, to arrange them differently:
Front rows: Botterman, Bryony Cleall, Cornborough, Harper, Keates, Muir, Powell
Locks: Galligan, Leitch, Talling, Ward
Back rows: Fleetwood, Leitch, Matthews
Halves: Hunt (9), Infante (9), Harrison, (10), Rowland 10),
Centres: Harrison, McKenna, Rowland, Scarratt
Back Three: Kildunne, McKenna, Rowland, Thompson
Spoilt for choice?
