Following countless thrills and spills throughout three breath-taking rounds of Women’s Six Nations action, the overall 2021 rankings will be determined in three mouth-watering Finals Day match-ups on Saturday.
Having topped Pool A with two wins from two England will bid to make it three Championship titles in a row when they host Pool B toppers France at Twickenham Stoop.
Les Bleues – who are searching for their first Women’s Six Nations crown since their 2018 Grand Slam triumph – earned their place in the showpiece at the expense of Ireland, who take on Italy for third place.
How to watch Women’s Six Nations Finals Day
And a thrilling day of play comes to a close in Glasgow, where both Scotland and Wales will be hoping to earn their first Women’s Six Nations win this year and trump their opposition to fifth.
There’s plenty to keep your eye on with three big games to look forward to for the first time during this year’s Championship – here’s everything you need to know…
Ireland v Italy – Energia Park, KO 12pm (UK), 1pm (ITA), Live on BBC iPlayer (UK), RTÉ 2 (Republic of Ireland), Women’s Six Nations YouTube and Facebook (France) and Eurosport 2 (Italy)
The two teams who finished second in their respective pools kick off the day’s action with a podium spot at stake in Dublin, which is hosting the contest instead of Parma due to quarantine issues.
Adam Griggs’ hosts flew out of the blocks in this year’s competition with a 45-0 opening win over Wales in Cardiff, before a 56-15 defeat at home to France last time out denied them a spot in the final.
The two-time winners have made three changes ahead of the visit of the Azzurre, with Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Stacey Flood and Brittany Hogan all set for their first Test starts at Energia Park.
Six must-have backs in your Women’s Six Nations Fantasy Rugby team on Finals Day
The Italians secured their place in the 3rd/4th play-off with an impressive 41-20 victory over Scotland in Round 3, having fallen 67-3 to England a week earlier.
Head coach Andrea Di Giandomenico has understandably kept faith with the XV who were triumphant at Scotstoun, with hat-trick hero Manuela Furlan starting on the wing once again.
Ireland: 15. Eimear Considine, 14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, 13. Eve Higgins, 12. Sene Naoupu, 11. Beibhinn Parsons, 10. Stacey Flood, 9. Kathryn Dane; 1. Lindsay Peat, 2. Cliodhna Moloney, 3. Linda Djougang, 4. Aoife McDermott, 5. Nichola Fryday, 6. Dorothy Wall, 7. Brittany Hogan, 8. Ciara Griffin (c)
Replacements: 16. Neve Jones, 17. Laura Feely, 18. Leah Lyons, 19. Grace Moore, 20. Hannah O’Connor, 21. Emily Lane, 22. Hannah Tyrrell, 23. Enya Breen
Italy: 15. Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14. Manuela Furlan (c), 13. Michela Sillari, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Maria Magatti, 10. Veronica Madia, 9. Sara Barattin; 1. Erika Skofca, 2. Melissa Bettoni, 3. Lucia Gai, 4. Valeria Fedrighi, 5. Giordana Duca, 6. Ilaria Arrighetti, 7. Francesca Sgorbini, 8. Elisa Giordano
Replacements: 16. Lucia Cammarano, 17. Gaia Maris, 18. Michela Merlo, 19. Sara Tounesi, 20. Isabella Locatelli, 21. Beatrice Veronese, 22. Sofia Stefan, 23. Aura Muzzo
England v France – Twickenham Stoop, KO 2pm (UK), 3pm (FRA), Live on BBC Two and iPlayer (UK), RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player (Ireland), France 2 (France) and Eurosport Player (Italy)
After three weeks of drama everything boils down to 80 minutes in the English capital, with the Red Roses entertaining France in a winner-takes-all encounter.
England enjoyed a weekend off last time out following strong victories over Scotland and Italy, and Simon Middleton’s charges are hoping to replicate that form and lift the coveted trophy for a third year in a row.
Emily Scarratt will wear the captain’s armband with regular skipper Sarah Hunter having been replaced by Poppy Cleall at No.8 – one of seven changes.
Cleall is part of an all-new back row that sees flankers Zoe Aldcroft and Marlie Packer start, while Abbie Ward returns in the second row and Lark Davies is in at hooker.
In the backs, Zoe Harrison makes her first start of the Championship at inside centre and will act as the second playmaker outside fly-half Helena Rowland, while Sarah McKenna is in at full-back.
France have looked on the money with 53-0 and 56-15 wins over Wales and Ireland respectively so far, and Romane Ménager – who came off the bench to score against the Irish – comes in at No.8 in place of the injured Emeline Gros as the only change to the XV.
The match will also be live on terrestrial television for viewers in the Republic of Ireland with RTÉ 2 set to show the game along with the RTÉ Player.
England: 15. Sarah McKenna, 14. Jess Breach, 13. Emily Scarratt (c), 12. Zoe Harrison, 11. Abby Dow, 10. Helena Rowland, 9. Leanne Riley; 1. Vickii Cornborough, 2. Lark Davies, 3. Shaunagh Brown, 4. Abbie Ward, 5. Cath O’Donnell, 6. Zoe Aldcroft, 7. Marlie Packer, 8. Poppy Cleall
Replacements: 16. Amy Cokayne, 17. Detysha Harper, 18. Bryony Cleall, 19. Harriet Millar-Mills, 20. Sarah Hunter, 21. Claudia MacDonald, 22. Lagi Tuima, 23. Ellie Kildunne
France: 15. Emilie Boulard, 14. Caroline Boujard, 13. Carla Neisen, 12. Jade Ulutule, 11. Cyrielle Banet, 10. Caroline Drouin, 9. Laure Sansus; 1. Annaëlle Deshaye, 2. Agathe Sochat, 3. Rose Bernadou, 4. Madoussou Fall, 5. Safi N’Diaye, 6. Marjorie Mayans, 7. Gaëlle Hermet (c), 8. Romane Ménager
Replacements: 16. Laure Touyé, 17. Maïlys Traoré, 18. Clara Joyeux, 19. Lenaïg Corson, 20. Coumba Diallo, 21. Pauline Bourdon, 22. Morgane Peyronnet, 23. Jessy Trémoulière
Scotland v Wales – Scotstoun, Glasgow, KO 5PM, live on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer (UK), RTÉ Player (Republic of Ireland), Women’s Six Nations YouTube and Facebook (France) and Eurosport Player (Italy)
Scotland and Wales will be hoping to get off the mark and avoid the wooden spoon when they lock horns in the final match of the 2021 Championship.
Six must-have forwards in your Women’s Six Nations Fantasy Rugby team on Finals Day
The hosts will be hoping to build on the try-scoring form that saw Lana Skeldon and Emma Wassell dot down against Italy in their last outing, and head coach Bryan Easson has made several positional and personnel changes in a bid to boost their prospects.
In the backs, Jenny Maxwell will make her first start of the 2021 Championship at scrum-half, while Hannah Smith returns from GB Sevens camp to start at outside centre.
Vice-captain Lisa Thomson moves back to inside centre and skipper Helen Nelson moves back to fly-half, while the inclusion of Christine Belisle at loosehead prop is the only alteration to the starting forward pack.
For Wales, boss Warren Abrahams has made nine changes as his team search for their first points of this year’s Women’s Six Nations.
Bethan Dainton has the tall task of replacing skipper Siwan Lillicrap in the back row, alongside Georgia Evans at No.8 and Manon Johnes on the blindside.
There is a first Test start for scrum-half Megan Davies and a first Women’s Six Nations start – and first at hooker – for Robyn Lock. Jasmine Joyce returns from the GB sevens squad to start at full-back, while winger Caitlin Lewis and outside centre Gemma Rowland also come in.
Scotland: 15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Liz Musgrove, 13. Hannah Smith, 12. Lisa Thomson, 11. Megan Gaffney, 10. Helen Nelson (c), 9. Jenny Maxwell; 1. Christine Belisle, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Megan Kennedy, 4. Emma Wassell, 5. Louise McMillan, 6. Evie Gallagher, 7. Rachel McLachlan, 8. Siobhan Cattigan
Replacements: 16. Jodie Rettie, 17. Leah Bartlett, 18. Lisa Cockburn, 19. Nicola Howat, 20. Mairi McDonald, 21. Sarah Law, 22. Evie Wills, 23. Rachel Shankland
Wales: 15. Jasmine Joyce, 14. Lisa Neumann, 13. Gemma Rowland, 12. Hannah Jones (c), 11. Caitlin Lewis, 10. Robyn Wilkins, 9. Megan Davies; 1. Caryl Thomas, 2. Robyn Lock, 3. Donna Rose, 4. Natalia John, 5. Teleri Wyn Davies, 6. Manon Johnes, 7. Bethan Dainton, 8. Georgia Evans
Replacements: 16. Kelsey Jones, 17. Gwenllian Jenkins, 18. Cerys Hale, 19. Gwen Crabb, 20. Shona Powell-Hughes, 21. Abbie Fleming, 22. Jade Knight, 23. Megan Webb
