6 Nations 2016: Round 1 Preview

SCOTLAND v ENGLANDFriday 5 February, 18.00Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld (Streamed on Scottish Rugby TV and English Rugby TV)

Results over the past few years suggests nothing other than a tough day at the office for Scotland, who have not won a game in the Six Nations since they beat France at Lasswade in the opening round of the 2010 campaign. It is well documented that England are not coming into the tournament with their powerhouse form of old - they haven't won the title since 2012, despite being reigning world champions, and in 2015 lost both of their away games. However they will have too much in the tank for Scotland, who are rebuilding under the highly experienced Shade Munro, and while the Scots can certainly look to the future with some optimism, their struggles in this tournament will not be solved overnight.

England's squad meanwhile for the game features a mish mash of experience and new faces. Among the more experienced players is Captain and No 8 Sarah Hunter while La Toya Mason, who starts at scrum half, will earn a 50th cap. There are four uncapped reserves in Wasps prop Bee Dawson, Bristol centre Lucy Demaine, Worcester second row Courtney Gill and Saracens back row Poppy Cleall. Interestingly England have named two scrum-halves on the bench with Leanne Riley and Bianca Blackburn both named.Key players have been ruled out through injury or illness including the experienced Laura Keates, Tamara Taylor and Hannah Gallagher.

Scotland have named winger Megan Gaffney, who was training with the Team GB 7s squad, on the wing for their clash . There is an experienced halfback pairing of captain Lisa Martin at stand-off and scrum half Sarah Law who  returns from injury. In the centre the uncapped Lisa Thomson but there is an experienced pack including 30-capped loosehead Tracy Balmer alongside the Hillhead Jordanhill duo of hooker Lana Skeldon and tighthead Lindsey Smith.

Scotland:15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Megan Gaffney, 13. Hannah Smith, 12. Lisa Thomson, 11. Rhona Lloyd, 10. Lisa Martin, 9.   Sarah Law, 1.  Tracy Balmer, 2.   Lana Skeldon, 3.   Lindsey Smith, 4.   Emma Wassell, 5. Deborah McCormack, 6. Jemma Forsyth, 7.   Karen Dunbar,  8.  Jade KonkelReplacements:  16.Sarah Quick, 17. Debbie Falconer, 18. Heather Lockhart, 19. Fiona Sim, 20. Anna Stodter, 21. Jennifer Maxwell, 22. Lauren Harris, 23. Eilidh Sinclair

England:15. Katie Mason, 14. Ruth Laybourn, 13. Lauren Cattell, Ceri Large, Lotte Clapp, 10. Amber Reed, 9. La Toya Mason, 1. Rochelle Clark, 2. Amy Cokayne , 3. Vickii Cornborough, 4. Abbie Scott, 5. Emily Braund, 6. Harriet Millar-Mills, 7. Izzy Noel-Smith 8. Sarah HunterReplacements: 16. Emma Croker, 17. Heather Kerr, 18.  Bee Dawson, 19. Courtney Gill, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Bianca Blackburn, 22. Lucy Demaine, 23. Leanne Riley

IRELAND v WALESSaturday 6 February, 13.00Donnybrook, Dublin (Streamed on Irish Rugby TV)

It's unusual that the reigning Women’s Six Nations champions, a side who has won the title in two of the past three years, probably don't go into the championship as favourites overall, but on home soil this Saturday they will be tipped to edge a rapidly improving Welsh outfit. Wales have not beaten Ireland in this competition since 2011, and then only by a point, and the games between the sides in recent years have tended to be tight, with neither side dominating throughout the 80 minutes. Expect more of the same this weekend, where Ireland will play at Donnybrook - their first visit to the Dublin ground since they lost to Wales there in 2006.

Wales are seeking World Cup qualification as their utimate goal and a victory against Ireland would start them off well and Rhys Edwards has named a strong side.  Adi Taviner moving to full back from her usual centre spot with youngster Robyn Wilkins getting the nod at fly half ahead of the experienced Elinor Snowsill. In the pack, Sioned Harries is switched to the second from the back row while Shona Powell-Hughes starts from No8 instead of the second row.

Ireland have named three uncapped players. Winger Elise O'Byrne-White and hooker Zoe Grattage start and Ciara Griffin is on the bench.

The squad also features seven players who won their first caps last November in the Autumn International against England. Aine Donnelly and Mairead Coyne will win their second caps when they run out on Saturday, while Cliodhna Moloney, Lindsay Peat, Fiona Reidy, Ciara Cooney and Mary Healy will all be looking to add a second cap to their collection from the bench. In all there are ten players who will be involved in a Six Nations side for the first timeIreland:15. Niamh Briggs (Captain), 14. Elise O'Byrne-White, 13. Aine Donnelly, 12. Sene Naoupu, 11. Mairead Coyne, 10. Nikki Caughey, 9. Larissa Muldoon, 1. Ailis Egan, 2. Zoe Grattage, 3. Ruth O'Reilly, 4. Sophie Spence, 5. Marie-Louise Reilly, 6. Paula Fitzpatrick, 7. Claire Molloy, 8. Heather O'BrienReplacements:16. Cliodhna Moloney, 17. Lindsay Peat,18. Fiona Reidy, 19. Ciara Cooney, 20. Ciara Griffin, 21. Mary Healy, 22. Nora Stapleton, 23. Jackie ShielsWales:15 Adi Taviner, 14 Elen Evans, 13 Kerin Lake, 12 Hannah Jones, 11 Bethan Dainton, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Keira Bevan; 1 Megan York, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Amy Evans, 4 Rebecca Rowe, 5 Sioned Harries, 6 Rachel Taylor (Captain), 7 Sian Williams. 8 Shona Powell-HughesReplacements:16 Amy Price, 17 Catrin Edwards, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Siwan Lillicrap, 20 Alisha Butchers, 21 Elinor Snowsill, 22 Gemma Rowland, 23 Dyddgu Hywel

FRANCE v ITALYSaturday 6 February, 21.00Stade Marcel Verchere, Bourg-en-Bresse  (live on France 4 andlive streaming on Federugby.it)

We make France marginal favourites this year, with a favourable fixture schedule and their form last year suggesting they are the team to beat. France won the grand slam in 2014 and have been runner up in every other year since 2010 and they go into the competition in good form with their only defeat in their last seven matches in all tournaments a 12-17 loss in Italy in round 4 of last year’s Six Nations.

In the newly released World Rugby rankings, France are the top Six Nations Women’s team, in second spot but Italy will be confident enough after they achieved their best ever finish in the Six Nations last season (third) concluding their campaign with three straight wins, over Scotland, France and Wales. An away trip will be much tougher for Italy though - at France's first visit to Bourg-en-Bresse since they beat England there 13-12 in March 2004.

Sara Barattin , the 63 times capped number 9 will make her debut in as captain in a team that includes numerous new faces and three uncapped players on the bench in  Gaia Giacomolli, Diletta Nicoletti, Elisa PIlloti and Silvia Folli.

France: Billes – Boujard, Godiveau, Poublan, Delas – (o) Abadie, (m) Rivoalen – N’Diaye, Rayssac, Diallo – Forlani, Ferer – Duval, Mignot, Arricastre. Replacements: Sochat, Traore Dhia, Menager, Annery, Sansus, Imart, Bertrand, Carricaburu

Italy:15 Manuela FURLAN, 14 Michela Sillari, 13 Maria Grazia CIOFFI, 12 Beatrice RIGONI, 11 Sofia STEFAN, 10 Veronica SCHIAVON, 9 Sara Barattin (Captain), 8 Elisa GIORDANO, 7 Michela ESTA, 6 Ilaria ARRIGHETI, 5 Alice TREVISAN, 4 Isabella Locatelli, 3 Lucia JHA, 2 Melissa BETTONI, 1 Elisa CucchiellaReplacements: 16 Lucia CAMMARANO, 17 Gaia Giacomolli, 18 Diletta NICOLETTI, 19 Valentina RUZZA, 20 Elisa PILLOTTI , 21 Silvia F OLLI, 22 Paola Zangirolami, 23 Maria Magatti