With the eighth edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on the horizon, the Women’s Six Nations takes on extra significance this year.

Five of the participating nations will be involved in the game’s showpiece event in Ireland in August, and for England the opportunity to go to the tournament as both Six Nations and defending world champions is something they’ll relish.

It has been five long years since England last lifted the trophy, though, France and Ireland winning it a couple of times apiece since 2012.

England could not have asked for a tougher opener than France – other than playing the defending champions away from home, as only two places separates the sides in the World Rugby Women's Rankings, while the honour of getting the Championship underway falls to Scotland, who entertain Ireland at Broadwood Stadium on Friday.

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On Saturday, Italy will be hoping their higher ranking is reflected by the result against Wales as the Women’s Six Nations pays a visit to the historic town of Jesi for the first time.

SCOTLAND (13) v IRELAND (5)

Five of the Scottish starting line-up, including hooker Rachel Malcolm, have less than 10 international caps but there is experience in the likes of captain Lisa Martin and props Tracy Balmer and Lindsey Smith.

Scottish Rugby's first full-time female player Jade Konkel returns from the injury which saw her sidelined during the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 qualifiers in November to reclaim the number eight jersey.

Ireland field five new faces in their match-day squad although scrum-half Ailsa Hughes is the only starter against the Scots.

Uncapped hooker Jennie Finlay, props Ilse van Staden, Ciara O'Connor and Eimear Considine – who has already played for the Ireland sevens team – are named among the replacements.

In brief

  • Scotland’s most recent victory came in a friendly against the Netherlands in Amsterdam in November 2011.
  • Ireland lost all three tests in the November internationals, against England, Canada and New Zealand, while all five of their games in the Six Nations last year went in favour of the home team. 
  • The two nations have met on 25 previous occasions with Scotland winning the first 14 between 1993-2006 and Ireland winning the last 11 from 2007 to date. 
  • Ireland’s only previous match at Broadwood Stadium resulted in a 73-3 victory in round five in 2015. 

Rankings predictor

Neither side can improve their position in the rankings, although a Scotland win by more than 15 points would see Shade Munro’s side close to within eight-hundredths of a point of South Africa in 12th.

ITALY (7) v WALES (10)

Italy coach Andrea di Giandomenico includes two uncapped players in his match-day squad in French-based duo Marti Ferrari (Rennes) and Claudia Salvadego (Stade Francais).
 
Captain and scrum-half Sarah Barattin and outside back Paola Zangirolami are the most experienced members of the squad with 67 caps apiece.
 
Seven players remain in the Wales starting line-up from last year's team that took on Italy at the Talbot Athletic Ground, including captain and hooker Carys Phillips and openside Rachel Taylor. Over half the team play their club rugby at the Ospreys.

In brief

  • Italy won two games in last season’s Six Nations, beating Scotland in Bologna and Wales in Aberavon. 
  • Italy’s only loss in their last four home games was to England in round two last year. 
  • Wales won two games in last season’s Championship, against Scotland and France.
  • Wales’ only away win since 2013 came when they visited Scotland in round two in 2015. 
  • The two sides have met on 16 previous occasions with Wales having the edge by 11 wins to five, although Italy have won the last three. 
  • Wales coach Rowland Phillips once coached Italian sides Viadana and Aironi

Rankings predictor

Italy can only improve their present position of seventh if they win by more than 15 points and Ireland lose to Scotland by the same margin.

A victorious Wales will leapfrog Italy into ninth place, with the Azzurre dropping three places to 10th. Win by more than 15 points and eighth place is theirs – at the expense of Spain.

ENGLAND (2) v FRANCE (4)

England second-row Tamara Taylor will make her 99th international appearance in what will be her 10th Six Nations campaign, while Amy Wilson-Hardy returns to 15s duty after a stint in sevens, including representing Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Centre Amber Reed is also included in the starting line-up having missed the November test series through injury, although flanker Alex Matthews is a notable absentee having been ruled out due to concussion.

France are captained from hooker once again by Gaelle Mignot, who finished the 2016 Six Nations as joint top try-scorer alongside team-mate Audrey Forlani, with four.

Two of Mignot’s tries came in last season’s 17-11 title-clinching win over England. She and Forlani are two of only seven players to retain their starting places from Les Bleues’ second win over the USA in November.

The others are flanker Romane Menager and back-row colleague Safi N’Diaye, while the midfield partnership of Elodie Poublan and Caroline Ladagnous remains intact and Elodie Guiglion gets another run out on the right wing.

In brief

  • England’s only defeat in their last six matches was at the hands of New Zealand at Twickenham Stoop in November. 
  • England’s only defeat in the 2016 Six Nations came when they visited France in round five, a loss which gave Les Bleues the title.  
  • England have played 15 previous matches at Twickenham where their only two defeats have both been inflicted by France, in 2013 and 2015. 
  • France won their most recent two tests in November against the USA, and are seeking to defend their Six Nations title which they have won in two of the past three years. 
  • England have won their two most recent matches against France, in Salt Lake City last July and at Twickenham Stoop in November, but in the Six Nations it is France that have won the last four matches.    

Rankings predictor

England will gain three-tenths of a rating point if they win by 15 points or less and only fractionally more if the margin is bigger, leaving them the best part of five points adrift of number one side New Zealand.

Defeat for England will cost them second place, with Canada taking their place. Should the Red Roses suffer a heavy loss, they will drop to fourth and France will move up to second, on 86.61 points – an improvement of 2.55 points, with Canada occupying third.