Key events
Ireland team
It’s a return of the King, Erin King, to be exact, as the Irish skipper rejoins the group after missing out on last year’s World Cup with a knee injury.
Along with Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan, Ireland have a back row that can compete. It’s just a question if they can get enough front-foot ball.
If they can, and if they can get the ball moving down the line, Vicky Elmes Kinlan’s pace out wide could be a handful. On the other wing, the experienced Béibhinn Parsons offers solidity.
There’s also a lovely match-up as Cliodhna Maloney-Macdonald at hooker meets her club teammate and wife, Claudia, who starts on the wing for England.
When they leave the bench, Eilís Cahill and Katie Whelan will make their Test debuts.
Ireland: Flood; Parson, Dalton, Higgins, Elmes Kinland; O’Brien, Lane; Perry, Maloney-Macdonald, Djougang, Wall, Tuite, Hogan, King, Wafer.
Replacements: Jones, O’Dowd, Cahill, Campbell, Moore, Whelan, McGillivray, McGann.
England team
There are nine – nine! – World Cup winners absent this afternoon.
Prop Hannah Botterman’s ankle means she a host of teammates, including skipper Zoe Stratford, Lark Atkin-Davies and Rosie Galligan who are all pregnant and focussing on more important matters than the fate of a rugby ball.
Still, it’s a team stacked with talent. Ellie Kildunne starts at fullback with Megan Jones assuming captaincy duties from 13. Holly Aitchsion wins the battle for the 10 jersey while Sadia Kabeya forms the focal point of a world class back row.
England: Kildunne; Breach, Jones, Rowland, Maloney-Macdonald; Aitchison, Packer; Clifford, Cockayne, Bern, Talling, Ives Campion, Feaunati, Kabeya, Matthews.
Replacements: Powell, Carson, Muir, Lutui, Burton, Hunt, Harrison, Sing.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Hello and welcome to the start of our coverage of the 2026 Women’s Six Nations.
England are revved up and ready to stretch their record unbeaten run of 33 matches and I wouldn’t bet against them making it 38 by the time the tournament ends.
They are, for my money, the most dominant sports team on the planet. Surely they are among the most dominant sports teams of all time. A professional league, investors who put their money where they mouths are, and a public who fully get behind them. It’s no wonder they are lightyears ahead of the competition.
Ireland will be eager to play their part. They came within a score of beating France in the World Cup quarterfinals last year. They have one of the best players on the planet, Aoife Wafer, rampaging in the loose, and of course there will be no shortage of motivation.
But they’re up against the world champions on their own patch. Anything other than a romping victory for the Red Roses would constitute a major upset.
Kick-off at Twickenham at 2:25 pm.
Teams and other updates to come.
