Women's Six Nations 2026, Week 4

Really there probably aren’t any interesting matches this week. England should sweep aside Italy in Parma, even on the road France should beat Scotland and whilst Wales are improving, Ireland at home are probably still a step too far.

England v Italy

England tried to make it interesting, with multiple changes to their tight five. Some were forced through injury, some were selection choices. In most aspects of the game it really didn’t seem to affect them. Italy scored a try from a driving maul, it’s debatable whether a more experienced group of forwards, familiar with each other could have stopped it or not. Italy also scored a penalty try when Kildunne deliberately knocked the ball on out on the wing and 5m from the try line, absolutely killing an overlap. The former Red Rose commentator was outraged, saying “but there was cover there,” which might have mattered if they were 15m out, but given the cover tacklers were pretty much on the 15m line and the person who should have received the pass was on the point where the two 5m lines for lineouts and scrums meet, they’re never actually getting there. Italy also scored another try from a penalty and a nice backs move while they were up a woman.

Sadly, in the face of Italy’s first half three tries, England had scored six… they totally dominated at scrum time. They were pretty dominant in the lineouts and were dominant around the park. When Italy clicked, they made the English look like strangers to each other and scored too easily for Mitchell to be happy. On the flip side, when England took control, they were clinical. 40-19 at halftime.

In the second half, Italy and England both sort of slowed down. Italy only scored two tries, England three. That still gives Italy their highest ever score against England mind you, and five tries is the most anyone has scored for a while. 61-31 final score.

Scotland v France

It fairly quickly became apparent that Les Bleues have been working on their first half performance. They scored within the first minute, and although Scotland fought back, made things look more or less even for the next 20 minutes or so, including a try on debut to Phillips, when Arbez chipped to herself and scored a nice try then Champon scored a few minutes later, making it two tries whilst down a woman, and that swung the momentum pretty decisively to the French. There was actually one try to Scotland in the remaining 20 minutes, which felt against the run of play, two more to France which felt inevitable. 31-14 at halftime.

In the second half, France just kept scoring, almost for fun. Scotland managed two tries, enough to earn a bonus point. France, however scored six. 69-28 final score.

Scotland’s lineouts remained poor. They occasionally functioned, and led to a couple of Scottish tries in fact. It’s easy to blame the hooker for this, but on a number of occasions, far too many, the Scots just weren’t off the ground. All too often it looked like the hooker was coached by one person, the rest of the unit by someone else and they never practised together. Not quite totally dysfunctional, but almost. The French were all over most of them like a hot rash. However, for most of the game they dominated at scrum time. I don’t normally criticise the referee much about scrum decisions, there’s often a lot going on and they have a different point of view. But some were clearly wrong, like a wheeling penalty when France had gone forward about 3m as well around. Glimmers of hope for Scotland but a much better performance from France.

Ireland v Wales

Although the first half ended up 19-7 to the hosts, there is a parallel universe, not far away, where the scores are level, or even reversed. Ireland scored with the clock about five minutes in the red after both teams thought they could score after the hooter. Sadly it was the Irish who were right. Equally, the Welsh missed out on two tries thanks to a desperate tackle, the last defender just getting enough on a charging attacker close to the line and stopping a try.

The set-pieces, breakdowns and everything were pretty even, it really was fine margins between the teams.

The second half started spicy, Ireland lost their hooker for ten minutes for kicking a player in her arm. There was provocation, yes, but you can’t kick another player. (Holding on, which was the provocation, happens all the time and you don’t see kicks.) Wales lost a player for cynical play moments later.

Ireland were just a little more precise, particularly when it came to keeping hold of the pill. That stopped another three good Welsh attacks, maybe not quite as clear cut as in the first half, but still decent opportunities, as well as a number of other opportunities to carry on playing in other parts of the pitch. However, the Welsh kept the Irish to only two tries, kept playing and scored one of their own. As a fan, this feels disappointing, I thought that Ireland would be too strong but I had hopes. But, trying to step back a bit, this felt like a match between peers. Ireland got the rub of the green a bit, and some extra effort from playing at home. Last year, they felt like they were in a different class to us. So definitely an improvement.

Whilst we criticise hookers a lot, there was one moment that shows just how hard their job might be. After the Irish hooker was sin-binned, there was an Irish throw to the lineout, before a scrum when they would freely sub her for safety reasons. Some poor, brave soul stepped up to throw the ball in. Ireland tried to make it simple, a throw to 2, just straight up and down as short as possible. The Irish lock struggled to reach it with her outside arm. I don’t want to pick on the poor woman, it’s not her job, she’s probably never practiced (and she still got the timing better than the Scottish forwards), but it was an odd mix of hilarious and a reminder of just how hard it is to throw a rugby ball like that.

Happy coaches

1. Ratier. This wasn’t quite the complete 80 minutes from France, but it was close. France played well from start to finish, Scotland occasionally had periods when they competed.
2. Bemand. Ireland are much higher ranked than Wales and playing at home. They ought to have won this, but they went out and played hard against determined opponents. Good result, plenty to be happy about.
3. Roselli. Italy scored the most points they ever have against England and, to the best of my knowledge, became only the third team after France and the Black Ferns to score five tries against them. They have a LOT to be happy about.
4. Lynn. I debated about the last three positions here for a while, they were very close. Wales did a lot to please their coach and are still getting better. You can’t kick another see that coming through, and that will please Lynn.
5. Mitchell. Mitchell just edges Fukofuka, and I do mean just. Yes a win and lots of tries, but lots of tries against them for the second week in a row. All is not well in the state of Denmark.
6. Fukofuka. Although Scotland scored four tries, he will feel like they created two and got lucky for two. Unless you’re a team like Les Bleus, with mavericks throughout the backs and most of the forwards, you can’t rely on luck to score you tries (and the French men also work really hard and are very skilful). In the meantime, the French ran in 11 tries… ouch.

Looking Ahead

Next week is the final round of this year’s championship. England v France going for the Grand Slam wraps it all up, but the other matches all have an impact on the table.

• Wales v Italy: A win for Wales might see them finish fifth, a bonus point win in fourth. A win for Italy a loss for Ireland puts Italy into third. Home field advantage and my heart says Wales.
• Ireland v Scotland: Scotland could finish between fourth and last depending on the earlier game. Ireland are third with a win, or a Welsh win. At home they’ll be too strong for the Scots.
• France v England: At home, France have the game to score lots of tries and England's defence has been surprisingly shaky this year. We haven’t seen anyone capable of slowing the English down so far, but the French defence has been on a different level to their other opposition, and indeed to the English. Sadly, I expect England to win, but I won’t be shocked if France end their streak this year. 🤞