The Grand Slam and title are not the only things on the line in Vannes with second place in the World Rugby Women's Rankings also at stake when France host England at the Stade de la Rabines on Friday.

The equation is simple, whoever emerges victorious in the first women's international to be staged in the city in northern France will be crowned champions.

If England win, it will be the first title and Grand Slam for the world champions since 2012. If France win, given their superior points difference, they will secure a second title in three years. A draw and England will lift the trophy on French soil.

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While the champions will have been decided before the other two matches on Sunday, there is still plenty to play for in those encounters, not least third place up for grabs with Ireland currently ahead of Wales on point differential after two wins apiece in 2016. Ireland will host a Scotland team, much improved in 2016 but still without a Six Nations win in six years, in Dublin, while Wales will be eager to avoid a third successive loss to Italy.

FRANCE V ENGLAND (FRIDAY, 21:00 AT STADE DE LA RABINE)

  • England have only one gone into the final round in contention for the Grand Slam and failed to achieve it once - against France in 2004 when they lost 13-12 in Bourg-en-Bresse
  • France have won their last nine Women's Six Nations matches on home soil since a loss to England in Paris in 2012
  • England are the only side to have won against Les Bleues on French soil in the Championship, something they have done four times since 2003
  • Of the 47 tries scored in the previous four rounds, England (14) and France (13) account for 57.4 per cent of them
  • France have the best defensive record, having conceded only two tries and a total of 16 points in their four matches
  • England have made only one change, Harriet Millar-Mills coming back into the starting line-up as a result of Abbie Scott's knee injury against Wales

Rankings predictior

France must win by more than 15 points if they are to end the Six Nations in second place in the World Rugby Women's Rankings, the position they occupied at its start. A smaller margin would leave them seven hundredths of a rating point behind England, but win by more than 15 points – something they have never done since the Championship began in 2002 – and they will sit more than eighth tenths above the Red Roses. Even if England do secure the Grand Slam, they will still be more than three rating points adrift of number-one ranked side New Zealand. A win by more than 15 points, though, would give them a five-point cushion over France.

IRELAND V SCOTLAND (SUNDAY, 13:00 AT DONNYBROOK)

  • Every match involving Ireland in this year's Championship has been won by the home side
  • Scotland have now gone 33 matches without a Six Nations victory, their last win being against France in February 2010
  • Scotland have not won an away match in the Six Nations since they beat Spain in Madrid in 2006
  • Ireland have won 10 in a row against Scotland since losing 11-10 to their Celtic rivals at Women's Rugby World Cup 2006 in Canada
  • Ireland won last year's encounter 59-0 and have shut-out Scotland on their last two visits to the Emerald Isle

Rankings predictor

Sitting nine places and more than 17 rating points above Scotland in the World Rugby Women's Rankings means that even an emphatic victory for Ireland will have no impact on their rating or position of fourth. However, defeat by any margin would see Ireland fall two places, slipping below Canada and USA, and potentially to just one hundredth above Australia in seventh. Scotland can only improve their position of 13th if they beat Ireland by more than 15 points, a margin they have not managed since a 17-0 win in 2004. In this scenario they would climb above South Africa.

WALES V ITALY (SUNDAY, 14:00 AT TALBOT ATHLETIC GROUND)

  • Italy are targetting a third win in a row against Wales, having won in Aberavon (12-11) in 2014 and Padova (22-5) last year
  • Both nations will be at Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 after securing the two qualification places available through the Six Nations
  • Wales have won only one of their five matches played in Aberavon, against Scotland in 2014
  • A double try-scorer in defeat against England, Robyn Wilkins will switch from inside centre to fly-half against Italy – one of four changes and two positional switches made by coach Rhys Edwards

Rankings predictor

Italy and Wales sit ninth and 10th in the rankings respectively, separated by only six tenths. A win for Italy away from home will lift them one place to ninth at the expense of Spain, while a third victory of the 2016 Championship will see Wales jump two places to eighth. Whoever loses will still have a comfortable cushion of at least five points over Samoa in 11th.