Latest news with #Women'sSixNationsChampionship
The Star
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-France can do dominant England a favour by pushing them hard at Twickenham
Rugby Union - Women's Six Nations Championship - England v Scotland - Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 19, 2025 England players line up during the national anthems before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs LONDON (Reuters) -If England thrash France to secure a seventh successive Women's Six Nations title on Saturday it might please most of the Twickenham crowd but would probably be the last thing the team and coaches need with their eyes on a bigger prize. England's total dominance is not good for the sport in terms of World Rugby's much-advocated desire to "grow the game" or attract new viewers and though they can only keep beating what is in front of them, it is hard to improve via a conveyor belt of easy wins. The statistics behind their dominance are extraordinary. England have won the last six Six Nations titles, winning every game, and the only reason they are not seeking a seventh successive Grand Slam is that the 2021 competition was shortened because of COVID. Last week's victory over Scotland was their 30th in a row in the championship. The last time they lost was in France in 2018, and that was by only one point. They have won 20 of the 29 tournaments in its various formats - including 14 of the last 19 - claiming 18 Grand Slams along the way. In all rugby they have won 54 of their last 55 games with the glaring omission being the dramatic 34-31 Auckland defeat by New Zealand in the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup final. In September they will seek to gain revenge for that heartbreak, with all things pointing towards a probable rematch with New Zealand in the Twickenham final of this year's World Cup on September 27. England were stunned in an extraordinary finale in Auckland when the hosts had the temerity to compete for the first time at their opponents' previously-unchallenged and imperious lineout and stole the ball on their own line, and with it the trophy. England had gone into the final forgetting how to lose, almost forgetting what it was like to be put under pressure, so a rigorous examination by the only European team remotely equipped to give them a game would be of infinitely more value than another processional win. They began this year's Six Nations with a 38-5 win over Italy and hammered Wales 67-12 in Cardiff. Ireland made them work harder in Cork as they led only 7-5 at halftime, before piling on the power to come home 49-5 winners. Last weekend against Scotland at Leicester's Welford Road they cruised to a 59-7 win. That adds up to a tally of 213 points for - more than 50 per match - with 29 against. They have scored 33 tries and conceded five. Those huge wins have come despite coach John Mitchell regularly shuffling his squad and making some experimental selections as he seeks to "build two teams" for the World Cup. France should certainly present a stiffer challenge. They beat Ireland 27-15, Scotland 38-15, Wales 42-12 and Italy 34-21 and, although England hammered them 42-21 in Bordeaux last year, they are also likely to be lifted by the occasion having pushed England all the way before losing 38-33 in the corresponding fixture two years ago. That was watched by a world record crowd of 58,498 but, perhaps due to the perceived lack of jeopardy surrounding the Red Roses, this Saturday's attendance is expected to be around 40,000. (Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Christian Radnedge)
NBC Sports
12-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Six Nations highlights: England 49, Ireland 5
England put seven tries past Ireland, securing a dominant 49-5 victory to remain perfect in this year's Women's Six Nations Championship.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Everything you need to know about the women's Six Nations Championship
Calling all rugby union fans, this year's Women's Six Nations Championship is were crowned last year's champions, lifting the trophy for an impressive sixth year in a each squad will be hoping to hoping to prove themselves and will see this competition as a crucial step towards the Women's Rugby World Cup which takes place later this summer. So, what else can we expect over the next few weeks? Here's everything you need to know about this year's you be watching the Six Nations? Who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments below! What is the Six Nations tournament? The women's Six Nations is played every year between the top rugby union-playing countries in has been taking place since 1996 and is held separately to the men's Six Nations was initially a home nations tournament featuring England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, has now grown to include France and then Ireland rugby union team is made up of players from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern are the defending Champions and have been the dominant team in the competition - having won 20 of the 29 editions. Who are this year's favourites? England will be looking to make it seven titles in a are on a 20-game winning run and their squad includes World player of the year, Ellie only that, they're also ranked number one in the world and are favourites to win the World Cup, which they host in August and September. France are fourth in the world rankings and are the last team to have beaten the Red Roses in the expected to be their closest challengers for the title and will be hoping to pick up their first Six Nations title since are also tipped to do well this year. They pulled off a big win over World Champions New Zealand in September and finished third in the Six Nations last they will be without injured co-captain Sam Monaghan. What are the opening weekend fixtures? This year's women's Six Nations takes place between Saturday 22 March and Saturday 26 April - with the first round of matches being played this opening game of the tournament sees Ireland take on France at 1pm at Belfast's Kingspan Stadium on that afternoon, at 4.45pm, Scotland host Wales at the Hive Stadium in Sunday 23 March, it'll be time for England and Italy to kick off their campaigns, as they face each other at York Community Stadium at 3pm. What is the Grand Slam? If a team wins all five of its matches, it is called a Grand Slam, but to win a Grand Slam is very recently, England's women have won the Grand Slam three years in a row in 2022, 2023 and 2024. What is the Triple Crown? The Triple Crown is a special prize that only the four home unions - England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland - are able to win.A team can only secure the Triple Crown if they beat all three of the other home it gives a team a great chance of overall success - winning the Triple Crown doesn't always mean you win the Six 2018, England beat Ireland, Wales and Scotland but didn't win the Six Nations tournament overall.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lynn names 37-player Wales squad for Six Nations
Sean Lynn has named a 37-player squad for his opening Women's Six Nations Championship as Wales announced a 48-player training squad ahead of the tournament and has opted for a blend of experience and youth ahead of his side's first match in Scotland on Saturday, 22 March (16:45 GMT).Wales will be without vice captain Alex Callender for the opener against Scotland, while Sisilia Tuipolutu will miss the whole tournament after undergoing hamstring Keira Bevan will also act as vice captain while centre Hannah Jones will continue to lead the side. "This is an exciting and significant moment for the players, coaches and staff, when all the Wales family come together for the forthcoming Women's Six Nations campaign," said Lynn."We have a good mix of the 15 Welsh internationals who featured in the recent Premiership semi-finals and exciting younger players who have stood out for Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder in the Celtic Challenge."We all meet up on Monday and it is a short turnaround, but I know we all appreciate what we need to do and the support of the Welsh public."We are all excited about this Six Nations which is part of an exciting year for women's rugby, and we are aware of the challenges ahead of us but it's all about working hard for each other and inspiring the nation."Centre Jones is among the Gloucester-Hartpury contingent who will take on fellow Welsh international Georgia Evans' Saracens in Sunday's Premiership Women's Rugby final. This will be Lynn's final game in charge of King is joined by Lightning team-mates Maisie Davies and Alaw Pyrs in the national captain Natalia John is joined by prop Rosie Carr and centre Hannah Bluck.A week after their opening game in Edinburgh, Wales host England in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium on 29 March and are on course to break their record crowd of 10,592 for a standalone women's rugby fixture in Wales. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) says they having already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the then travel to face France on 12 April before welcoming Ireland eight days side conclude their campaign with a trip to Italy on 26 April. Wales Six Nations squad Forwards: Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning), Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Abbey Constable (Leicester Tigers), Molly Reardon (Gwalia Lightning), Rosie Carr (Brython Thunder), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester/Hartpury), Carys Phillips (Harlequins), Donna Rose (Saracens) Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning), Abbie Fleming (Harlequins), Alaw Pyrs (Gwalia Lightning), Natalia John (Brython Thunder), Gwen Crabb (Gloucester/Hartpury), Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning), Georgia Evans (Saracens), Kate Williams (Gloucester/Hartpury), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester/Hartpury), Alex Callender (Harlequins), Gwennan Hopkins (Gwalia Lightning), Alisha Butchers (Bristol Bears)Backs: Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears), Sian Jones (Gwalia Lightning), Meg Davies (Gloucester/Hartpury), Ffion Lewis (Bristol Bears), Lleucu George (Gloucester/Hartpury), Lisa Neumann (Harlequins), Kayleigh Powell (Harlequins), Robyn Wilkins (Sale Sharks), Hannah Jones (captain, Gloucester/Hartpury), Hannah Bluck (Brython Thunder), Kerin Lake (Gwalia Lightning), Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders), Courtney Keight (Bristol Bears), Nel Metcalfe (Gloucester/Hartpury), Jenny Hesketh (Bristol Bears), Catherine Richards (Gwalia Lightning), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears)
