England
Coach: Simon Middleton
Captain: Sarah Hunter
Six Nations best possible: Winners (13-time champions with 11 of the ones grand slams. England received the identify in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Predicted end: First, grand slam winners
The Red Roses are favorites to boost the Six Nations trophy once more in spite of shedding the World Cup last to New Zealand in November. The defeat within the last, which ended their list run of 30 video games unbeaten, was once England’s first loss since 2019. If avenging a heartbreaking defeat isn’t sufficient motivation to protect their identify, the swan songs of the trainer, Simon Middleton, and captain, Sarah Hunter, will upload fireplace to the dominant English beast. Middleton will step down after the event and the record-cap holder, Hunter, will retire after England’s opening fit in opposition to Scotland in her house the city of Newcastle. England’s hardest fit this event might be in opposition to France at Twickenham however the hosts are more likely to end up too sturdy with the likes of winger Abby Dow, prop Maud Muir and scrum-half Natasha “Mo” Hunt – who’s again within the squad after no longer being decided on for the World Cup – amongst their famous person gamers. More than 35,000 enthusiasts have purchased tickets for the Red Roses’ first standalone fit on the house of English rugby. The final time France and England performed each and every different was once on the World Cup and it was once edged by means of England 13-7.
france
Coaches: Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz
Captain: Audrey Forlani
Six Nations best possible: Winners (Six-time champions with 5 of the ones grand slams. France received the identify in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2016, 2018)
Predicted end: Second
France head into the event taking a look to shake off England’s perpetual grasp at the trophy with a brand new training set-up. Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have taken over from training team of workers Thomas Darracq and Annick Hayraud. They have appointed a brand new captain, Audrey Forlani, in spite of the common skipper, Gaëlle Hermet, being incorporated within the squad. France got here agonizingly just about the World Cup last with Caroline Drouin lacking a penalty within the death seconds in opposition to New Zealand within the semi-final. The fly-half has no longer been decided on as she is on sevens accountability and so there’s a combat for the French No 10 position. Carla Arbez and Morgane Bourgeois, amongst others, are in a position to play within the place. France will be unable to name upon the 2022 Player of the Tournament, Laure Sansus, as she has retired, as has Safi N’Diaye and Celine Ferrer. Another blow to the group is Madoussou Fall’s damage, because of this she won’t play a component within the festival. France’s hardest opposition might be England within the final spherical. The final time France defeated England was once in 2018 and because then they have got performed each and every different 11 occasions with the Red Roses profitable they all.
Wales
Coach: John Cunningham
Captain: Hannah Jones
Six Nations best possible: Second in 2006, 2008 and 2009
Predicted end: Fourth
Wales might be taking a look to capitalize on their excellent shape from final 12 months’s festival the place they claimed 0.33, their best possible end since 2009, after they had been runners-up. They carried the ones sturdy performances into the World Cup and so they were given out in their pool as one among two third-placed groups to say a quarter-final spot. They had been overwhelmed by means of the eventual winners, New Zealand, within the final 8 however development was once proven by means of Ioan Cunningham’s group. Siwan Lillicrap has now retired from global rugby and so Hannah Jones has been named captain and there are different gamers to stay an eye fixed out for within the event. Alex Callender, Sioned Harries and Lisa Neumann are a few of the acquainted stars enthusiasts will know. But six uncapped gamers have additionally been named, together with flanker Kate Williams who’s without a doubt one to look at. And whilst Wales will need to purpose an disappointed with an English or French scalp, they are going to be excited by holding 0.33 position. Ireland, Italy and Scotland can also be focused on 0.33, so each and every of the ones fits might be the most important and their opener is in opposition to Ireland.
Irish
Coach: Greg McWilliams
Captain: Nichola Fryday
Six Nations best possible: Winners (two-time champions, one among which was once a grand slam. Ireland received it in 2013 and 2015)
Predicted end: Fifth
The Ireland captain, Nichola Fryday, stated on the Six Nations release the group are focused on 0.33 position as it’s going to resolve which tier they play in on the Women’s XV, a brand new world festival, q4. The event might be break up into 3 tiers with the highest 3 finishers within the Six Nations being part of WXV 1, which will even function the highest 3 groups from a cross-regional event that includes USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Ireland will compete for 0.33 with out a few of their stars, reminiscent of Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe, who’re excited by Olympic qualification with the sevens group. They do have Sam Monaghan, the Ireland participant of the 12 months, to name upon and can also be blooding new ability with 8 uncapped gamers within the squad. Ireland are the one group within the Six Nations to not have featured on the World Cup once they did not qualify. The group didn’t pass with none fits as they toured Japan in August. They began the excursion brightly with a 57–22 win in spite of going 14–0 down within the first 1/2. But the excursion didn’t finish with every other certain consequence as they fell to a 29–10 defeat with the collection finishing in a 1–1 draw.
Italy
Coach: Giovanni Raineri
Captain: Elisa Giordano
Six Nations best possible: Second in 2019
Predicted end: Third
Italy are every other group with a brand new trainer after Andrea Di Giandomenico stepped down after 13 years in price. Giovanni Raineri is the brand new head trainer taking Italy into a brand new generation. He has named Elisa Giordano captain after her predecessor Manuela Furlan retired in 2022. The group has a mix of revel in and inexperience with middle Beatrice Rigoni and record-cap scrum-half Sara Barattin within the ranks along 8 uncapped gamers. Italy head into the Six Nations after attaining the quarter-finals on the World Cup. They had been overwhelmed convincingly within the final 8 by means of France and it crowned off a 12 months the place their shape was once hit or miss. They completed 5th within the 2022 Six Nations after shedding 3 fits, their worst day out within the event since 2017. But they controlled to defeat France in one among two summer season Tests. They might be in search of extra consistency within the upcoming festival. Raineri, who has been capped for the Italy males’s nationwide facet, stated after naming his first squad: “It will be a new journey and we will run on to the field looking to give our best, game after game.”
Scottish
Coach: Bryan Eason
Captain: Rachel Malcolm
Six Nations best possible: Second in 2003
Predicted end: sixth
Scotland have no longer completed upper than 5th within the Six Nations since 2017, the place they secured fourth, and they are going to need to alternate their fortunes this 12 months. The captain, Rachel Malcolm, spoke on the event release about how the group are adapting their assault with the target to begin final out tight fits. In the 2022 Six Nations they picked up 3 shedding bonus issues and Malcolm needs to show the ones effects into wins. They have appointed a brand new assault trainer, Chris Laidlaw, to assist their sport plan. “As a squad we want to push on and find a way to get on the right side of results,” Malcolm stated. “We want to look to play slightly differently because what we have been doing prior hasn’t necessarily worked for us.” A participant who will lend a hand get them at the entrance foot is No 8 Jade Konkel-Roberts. She has been named within the squad however had surgical operation for an damage in February so it’s unclear when she might be to be had. At the World Cup Scotland did not get out in their pool and didn’t check in a win.