France vs Italy

Kickoff: 12:25pm BST, Saturday 11th April

Venue: Stade des Alpes, Grenoble

Watch on: BBC iPlayer

The 2026 Six Nations will kick off on Saturday afternoon in Grenoble when France host Italy. France have won each of the last 5 match-ups between these teams, most recently a 24-0 win at the World Cup and a 34-21 win in the 2025 Six Nations. France are obviously the favourites but their games against Italy have been more thorny than the score-lines suggest.

This French team looks to have undergone a bit of a reset since the World Cup. Youngsters such as Mwayembe, Zago and Barratt have all been given chances in the starting XV whilst Joanna Grisez will play in a relatively unfamiliar outside centre spot rather than her regular role on the wing. France's bench looks strong with Riffonneau, Brosseau and Bernadou waiting to provide some experience in the crucial moments at the end of the fixture. Bourdon Sansus and Arbez make for an exciting play-making duo that should use its experience to anchor a sometimes erratic French team.

Italy have opted for continuity from the World Cup by picking plenty of veterans such as: Turaini, Fedrighi, Duca and Giordano. This is a strong group that has proven it's capable of causing issues for the French. However, they have been unable to seriously vie for victory. Going up against a transitioning French team gives Italy a window of opportunity to cause a shock, but are they ready to take their chance?

I think France will have enough quality to deal with Italy and, if it's close in the second half, their bench will make a big difference. I expect Italy to be competitive but the gulf in quality should be fairly obvious.

Team news

France

Starting XV

1.Ambre Mwayembe 2.Mathilde Lazarko 3.Assia Khalfaoui 4.Kiara Zago 5.Madoussou Fall Raclot

6.Axelle Berthoumieu 7.Manae Feleu(C) 8.Lea Champon 9.Pauline Bourdon Sansus 10.Carla Arbez

11.Lea Murie 12.Gabrielle Vernier 13.Joanna Grisez 14.Anais Grando 15.Pauline Barrat

Bench

16.Elisa Riffonneau 17.Yllana Brosseau 18.Rose Bernadou 19.Cloe Correa

20.Siobhan Soqeta 21.Charlotte Escudero 22.Alexandra Chambon 23.Aubane Rousset

Italy

Starting XV

1.Silvia Turani 2.Vittoria Vecchini 3.Alessia Pilani 4.Valeria Fedrighi 5.Giordana Duca

6.Francesca Sgorbini 7.Alissa Ranuccini 8.Elisa Giordano(C) 9.Alia Bitonci 10.Veronica Madia

11.Francesca Granzotto 12.Sara Mannini 13.Alyssa D'Inca 14.Aura Muzzo 15.Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi

Bench

16.Chiara Cheli 17.Gaia Maris 18.Vittoria Zanette 19.Elettra Costantini 

20.Beatrice Veronese 21.Sofia Stefan 22.Emma Stevanin 23.Gaia Buso

England vs Ireland

Kickoff: 2:25pm BST, Saturday 11th April

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Watch on: BBC ONE

Saturday afternoon will see the World Champions return to the venue in which they clinched the ultimate title. Their opponents this weekend will be Ireland who have been knocking at the door of international success for a couple of years at this point. Last time these teams met, England won 49-5 but that doesn't give the full picture of the game. In fact, Ireland scored first when Costigan scored in the 24th minute and only lost that lead in the 34th minute when Talling scored, and Harrison converted, for England to give the Red Roses a 7-5 lead at half-time. The second half was a different story. An early yellow card led to an avalanche of English tries which took the game away from Ireland. This is a tough first fixture for both teams but it will be a good indicator of where both sides are.

Scott Mitchell has gone with a fairly predictable team for this game with only a couple of youngsters getting a chance. There is no Hannah Botterman in the squad which gives Clifford and Carson a chance at loosehead prop. At hooker, Lark Atkin-Davies and May Campbell are out so Connie Powell gets a spot on the bench behind Amy Cokayne. In the second row Galligan, Ward and Stratford have all recently announced their pregnancies which leaves young locks Talling and Ives Campion to take over. In the back row, Mitchell has selected a massive unit in which Sadia Kabeya is joined by two no.8 players (Mathews and Feaunati). The bench is the same; Burton and Lutui are also ball-carrying options who normally play no.8. 

In the backs, Packer and Aitchison are the preferred half-back duo over Hunt and Harrison. Helena Rowland also makes the starting XV. She will be the second playmaker from inside centre, replacing Tatiana Heard who is currently injured. Meg Jones will captain the team from midfield whilst Kildunne and Breach are joined by Moloney-Macdonald in the back three, moving Jess Breach to the right wing. 

Ireland have a strong front row of Perry, Moloney-Macdonald and Djougang with Jones and O'Dowd providing some quality depth. Wall and Tuite make up a physical duo in the second row whilst Hogan joins King and Wafer to complete a very strong pack. Dannah O'Brien remains at fly-half whilst Elmes Kinlan starts on the left wing due to the absence of Costigan. Flood will be the second playmaker as fullback.

England should have enough to win this game comfortably but Ireland won't be pushovers.

Team news

England

Starting XV
1.Kelsey Clifford 2.Amy Cokayne 3.Sarah Bern 4.Morwenna Talling 5.Lilli Ives Campion

6.Maddie Feaunati 7.Sadia Kabeya 8.Alex Mathews 9.Lucy Packer 10.Holly Aitchison

11.Claudia Moloney-Macdonald 12.Helena Rowland 13.Megan Jones(C) 14.Jess Breach 15.Ellie Kildunne

Bench

16.Connie Powell 17.Mackenzie Carson 18.Maud Muir 19.Haineala Lutui

20.Abi Burton 21.Natasha Hunt 22.Zoe Harrison 23.Emma Sing

Ireland 

Starting XV

1.Ellena Perry 2.Cliodhna Moloney-Macdonald 3.Linda Djougang 4.Dorothy Wall 5.Fiona Tuite

6.Brittany Hogan 7.Erin King(C) 8.Aoife Wafer 9.Emily Lane 10.Dannah O'Brien 

11.Vicky Elmes Kinlan 12.Eve Higgins 13.Aoife Dalton 14.Beibhinn Parsons 15.Stacey Flood

Bench

16.Neve Jones 17.Niamh O'Dowd 18.Eilis Cahill 19.Ruth Campbell 

20.Grace Moore 21.Katie Whelan 22.Nancy McGillivray 23.Anna McGann

Wales vs Scotland

Kickoff: 4:40pm BST, Saturday 11th April

Venue: Principality Stadium

Watch on: BBC iPlayer

In a weekend of big match-ups, this looks set to be the best game. Scotland have won the last 4 meetings but there have been a couple of tight moments. When they met at the World Cup, Scotland were able to overpower Wales so the home side will have a point to prove at the Principality. 

Wales are missing co-captain Alex Callender in the back row so Bryonie King and Bethan Lewis join Kate Williams. The biggest strength of this team is the front row where Tuipulotu and Pyrs start at prop before Davies and Rose come on. If Wales are to have a chance in this game, their pack has to stand up. Their half-backs are a big strength with Bevan and George providing some structure and experience for this side. Watch out for Neumann and Singleton on the wings who could both become big difference-makers for this team. Wales won't be truly competitive without them being at their best.

This Scotland team looks strong. Bartlett, Skeldon and Clarke make up an all-PWR front row and Wassell and Cunningham continue that trend in the second row. On the bench, Martin and young Molly Poolman are joined by Demi Swann who was a late inclusion as injury cover for Anne Young. Swann is yet to play for Scotland at the age of 30 but the Ontario native has been in training camps for both Scotland and Canada. Rachel Malcolm captains the team at blindside flanker with Coughbrough and Stewart alongside her. Brebner-Holden and Nelson remain at half-back whilst Meryl Smith gets the start with Emma Orr. McGhie is out of the squad which leaves room for Campbell to start on the left wing.

This is one of two games that Wales should target in this tournament but Scotland are definitely the favourites.

Team news

Wales

Starting XV
1.Gwenllian Pyrs 2.Kelsey Jones 3.Sisilia Tuipulotu 4.Jorja Aiono 5.Gwen Crabb

6.Bethan Lewis 7.Kate Williams(C) 8.Bryonie King 9.Keira Bevan 10.Lleucu George

11.Lisa Neumann 12.Courtney Keight 13.Carys Cox 14.Seren Singleton 15.Kayleigh Powell

Bench

16.Molly Reardon 17.Maisie Davies 18.Donna Rose 19.Alaw Pyrs 

20.Georgia Evans 21.Branwen Metcalfe 22.Seren Lockwood 23.Hannah Dallavalle

Scotland

Starting XV

1.Leah Bartlett 2.Lana Skeldon 3.Elliann Clarke 4.Emma Wassell 5.Hollie Cunningham

6.Rachel Malcolm(C) 7.Alex Stewart 8.Emily Coughbrough 9.Leia Brebner-Holden 10.Helen Nelson

11.Shona Campbell 12.Meryl Smith 13.Emma Orr 14.Rhona Lloyd 15.Chloe Rollie

Bench

16.Elis Martin 17.Demi Swann 18.Molly Poolman 19.Holland Bogan

20.Eva Donaldson 21.Rianna Darroch 22.Evie Wills 23.Lucia Scott