Those factors will all be determined by which players step up and be counted, but which of this weekend’s head-to-heads is the most intriguing? Here are three box office encounters for us to look forward to:
FRA v ENG: Romane Menager v Marlie Packer
Two figureheads of their packs collide in Bordeaux.
It wouldn’t be pushing it to describe this pair of back rowers as generational talents. France’s Menager is a dynamic and explosive player whose speed and agility are akin to having an extra back during open play. But she’s far from being a touchline-hanger, with her defensive attributes so often key to Les Bleues’ successes - even on days when they have struggled to get on top of the opposition, as we have seen in stages during this campaign.
Packer, England’s captain, is as tenacious as they come, and her work rate - particularly at the breakdown, where she is a constant source of frustration for opponents - is unparalleled. To conjure up an image of Packer with the ball in hand is to see a swarm of would-be tacklers trying, and often failing, to slow down Yeovil’s finest.
IRE v SCO: Beibhinn Parsons v Francesca McGhie
If it’s speed and guile you’re after, look no further than these two.
Parsons is renowned for her blistering pace, which has been showcased in Ireland’s top-performing team on the global sevens circuit. The space may be reduced in the 15-woman game, but when the opportunity arises, few can take them as devastatingly as the 22-year-old from County Galway. Her acceleration off the mark and ability to beat defenders one-on-one mark her out as an obvious threat to Scotland in Belfast this weekend.
Francesca McGhie, 20, now with a full game under her belt after making her first start this year in the historic win against Italy, is full of game intelligence (likely helped by the umpteen sports she used to play in her childhood). While she’s capable of those game-changing moments required of a modern-day wing, her ability to create opportunities for others is also one of her more underrated assets.
WAL v ITA: Alex Callender v Ilaria Arrighetti
Wales’ run of results in this year’s Championship would be enough to sap the energy of the best player, but not Alex Callender. The openside has played out of her skin game after game; one of the few bright spots for Ioan Cunningham’s struggling side. The 23-year-old from West Wales has the second most carries in this year’s Championship, has made more tackles than anyone else (65) and is joint-second for breakdown steals (four).
While Italy have failed to find their usual cohesion in the back row this campaign, with injuries dictating a chop-and-change on more than one occasion, their one constant has been Ilaria Arrighetti. They have relied on the experience of the 31-year-old veteran, who plays for Rennes in France, and has featured across the back row. Arrighetti will be desperate to show what she can do against the more-feted Welsh back row.
