LAST UPDATE | 2 Apr 2021
THE 2021 WOMEN’S Six Nations is finally upon us, with the rescheduled, new-look tournament kicking-off this weekend.
The jejigged format,which sees the six sides split into two pools of three teams each, means Adam Griggs’ Ireland aren’t in action until 10 April, when they take on Wales before hosting France in Energia Park a week later, ahead of a final round of play-off fixtures.
After a difficult 2020, the hope is that this Six Nations can act as a springboard for the women’s game and restore some sense of normality, bringing a feel good factor back to the sport on the back of some encouraging developments regarding the future of women’s rugby.
Here we take at look at 10 players to look out for – some you will know, some you may not – ahead of what will hopefully be an exciting, competitive tournament.
Emilie Boulard (France)
The only player in the France team to play Wales on Saturday who doesn’t have Test experience, but head coach Annick Hayraud clearly has a lot of faith in the fullback and has been talking up her qualities in the build-up to the tournament.
Surprisingly there’s no place in France matchday 23 to for Cyrielle Banet, who finished last year’s tournament as joint-top try-scorer and was in superb form in the autumn. Instead, Hayraud will look to the likes of former Sevens star Boulard to make an impression as Les Bleus experiment with their backline.
Leah Bartlett (Scotland)
A former England U20 international born to Scottish parents, Bartlett was headhunted by Scotland after she failed to make the step up to the England senior side. At just 22, the loosehead is already proving a shrewd acquisition having made her Scotland debut last year.
Injuries have held her back club level this year but Bartlett offers a dynamic presence in the Scotland frontrow, and has good skills to compliment a strong ball-carrying game and her power around the set-piece.
Helena Rowland (England)
The big talking point surrounding defending champions England has been who is going to replace Katy Daley-Mclean, the veteran out-half who announced her retirement in December.
Zoe Harrison seemed to be primed to win that contest but it’s 21-year-old Helana Rowland who has been given the nod to start against Scotland, as the more experienced Harrison misses out on the matchday squad due to a Covid breach.
Rowland only has three caps to her name but represents an exciting prospect at out-half, with her Sevens background contributing to her ability to attack the line, use her footwork and play a more direct game.
Dorothy Wall (Ireland)
Has made a big impression in just four appearances for Ireland since her debut against Scotland last year, although hasn’t garnered the same level of attention as some of the squad’s other young talents. The flanker’s workrate and energy stands out, but she’s also got the handling skills to contribute in attack, which no doubt owes a lot to her previous experience with basketball and Sevens rugby.
Will face plenty of competition to break into the starting team but can certainly offer impact off the bench, too.
Giada Franco (Italy)
One of the few players who caught the eye during a disappointing 2020 for Italy, delivering a player of the match performance against Wales, Italy’s sole win in last year’s Six Nations. That game served as a showcase of Franco’s best talents, topping the stats charts with 19 carries and 88 metres made.
Her team-mates will hope she can show similar form this year. An aggressive ball-carrier, when the flanker is firing shes goes a long way towards gaining some momentum for Italy and getting their game in motion. Also note that captain Manuela Furlan returned in the autumn following an 18-month absence.
Rachel McLachlan (Scotland)
The flanker has made a notable impact in a short amount of time. MacLachlan only took up the sport for the first time in 2017, but has already clocked up 16 caps for Scotland. She brings bite and aggression to the table, something the Scottish pack will badly need in the absence of star number eight Jade Konkel, who is taking time out of the game to become a firefighter.
Having spent the best part of a decade competing in Judo, McLachlan’s physical edge has been there from the start but the flanker is now also showing the benefits of having some big match experience under her belt and has smoothed out some of the other details in her game.
Georgia Evans (Wales)
A tireless forward who is making real strides since moving to England’s Premier 15s league and joining Saracens last summer. The 24-year-old can play across the back row or in the second row, where she has previously all her rugby to date for Wales, but starts at blindside against France on Saturday.
Having featured prominently in a Saracens team that currently tops the Premier 15s table, Evans is primed to carry that progress on to the international stage and make a big impact for Wales.
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Ireland)
It’s hard not to get excited about the attacking potential in the Ireland backline. Teenage sensation Beibhinn Parsons is a stunning talent who has already settled in well at this level, and now Tipperary’s Murphy Crowe is set to make her 15s debut in this Six Nations after a playing a starring role on the Sevens scene, finishing the 2019 season as the top try-scorer on the World Series circuit.
Murphy Crowe, 25, has all the traits necessary to make this transition an easy one. As well as the speed and skill you’d expect from a prolific Sevens try-scorer, Ireland captain Ciara Griffin praised her ‘rugby brain’ earlier this week, and the hope is her running threat can cause issues for both Wales and France in the coming weeks.
Jasmine Joyce (Wales)
The Bristol star is one of the real quality players in a Wales side in need of a lift, having lost all of their games in last season’s tournament, and arrives in form having scored 11 tries in the Allianz Premier 15s this season.
As well as bringing pace and footwork to the Wales backline, she’s also a reassuring defensive presence who doesn’t mind getting stuck into the less glamorous sides of the game.
Ellie Kildunne (England)
One of the most exciting attacking players in the English game, Wasps fullback Kildunne is another to have benefited from Sevens experience, and has shown no issues in transferring those skills to the 15s stage, winning 11 caps for England.
At 21, she is far from the finished product, but has a good eye for a linebreak and can bring an extra bit of cutting edge to a quite youthful England backline, whether starting or coming in from the bench to torment tiring legs.
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