2015 Women's Six Nations Championship Explained

2015 Women's Six Nations Championship
Dateto:	6 February – 22 March 2015
Countries:
Count:	2
Triple Crown:	(2nd title)
Matches:	15
Tries:	77
Top Point Scorer:	Niamh Briggs (49)
Top Try Scorer:	Julie Billes (6)
Previous Year:	2014
Previous Tournament:	2014 Women's Six Nations Championship
Next Year:	2016
Next Tournament:	2016 Women's Six Nations Championship

The 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship, also known as the 2015 RBS Women's Six Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 14th series of the Women's Six Nations Championship, an annual women's rugby union competition between six European rugby union national teams. Matches were held in February and March 2015, on the same weekends as the men's tournament, if not always the same day.

The championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Ireland won the championship on a points difference tie-break from France, after both teams had won four of their five matches; it was Ireland's second title in three seasons. Ireland had to win their final game, against Scotland, by a margin of 27 points or more to win the title and achieved this with victory by 73 points to 3.^[1] This was also the first time Italy finished in a position above 4th place in the Six Nations, whether men's or women's, and the first time Italy had denied a team a Grand Slam. As in 2013, England focused on the Sevens World Series circuit in order to qualify a Great Britain team for the 2016 Rio Olympics, so there young and inexperienced squad were missing many front-line players.

Table

Position	Nation	Games	Points	Tries	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Difference
1		5	4	0	1	139	26	+113	20	8
2		5	4	0	1	113	44	+69	16	8
3		5	3	0	2	82	94	–12	13	6
4		5	2	0	3	104	65	+39	17	4
5		5	2	0	3	64	73	–9	9	4
6		5	0	0	5	27	227	–200	2	0

Fixtures and results

Week 1


ITALY:
FB	15	Manuela Furlan
RW	14
OC	13
IC	12
LW	11	Michela Sillari
FH	10	Veronica Schiavon
SH	9
N8	8	Silvia Gaudino (C)
OF	7	Elisa Giordano
BF	6
RL	5	Alice Trevisan
LL	4	Flavia Severin
TP	3
HK	2	Lucia Cammarano
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
FL	18	Michela Este
LK	19	Alessia Pantarotto
LK	20
FH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Andrea Di Giandomenico


IRELAND:
FB	15	Niamh Briggs (C)
RW	14	Hannah Tyrrell
OC	13	Jenny Murphy
IC	12
LW	11
FH	10	Nora Stapleton
SH	9
N8	8	Heather O'Brien
OF	7	Claire Molloy
BF	6
RL	5	Sophie Spence
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Tom Tierney

Assistant referees:
Maria Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy)
Clara Munarini (Italy)
Assessor:
n/a


FRANCE:
FB	15
RW	14
OC	13	Élodie Poublan
IC	12	Céline Héguy
LW	11	Julie Billes
FH	10	Camille Cabalou
SH	9
N8	8	Safi N'Diaye
OF	7
BF	6	Coumba Diallo
RL	5
LL	4	Manon André
TP	3
HK	2	Gaëlle Mignot (C)
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
LK	18
FL	19
SH	20
FB	21
WG	22
PR	23
Coach:
Jean-Michel Gonzalez


SCOTLAND:
FB	15	Gillian Inglis
RW	14
OC	13	Chloe Rollie
IC	12
LW	11	Abi Evans
FH	10	Lisa Martin
SH	9
N8	8	Jade Konkel
OF	7
BF	6	Karen Dunbar
RL	5	Emma Wassell
LL	4
TP	3	Tracy Balmer (C)
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Jules Maxton

Assistant referees:
n/a
n/a
Assessor:
n/a


WALES:
FB	15
RW	14	Elen Evans
OC	13	Adi Taviner
IC	12	Gemma Rowland
LW	11	Laurie Harries
FH	10	Elinor Snowsill
SH	9
N8	8	Shona Powell-Hughes
OF	7	Sioned Harries
BF	6
RL	5	Rachel Taylor (C)
LL	4	Rebecca Rowe
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Jenny Hawkins
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23	Kerin Lake
Coach:
Rhys Edwards


ENGLAND:
FB	15	Kay Wilson
RW	14
OC	13	Abigail Brown
IC	12	Megan Goddard
LW	11	Sydney Gregson
FH	10	Ceri Large
SH	9
N8	8	Alexandra Matthews
OF	7
BF	6	Hannah Field
RL	5	Rowena Burnfield
LL	4	Tamara Taylor (C)
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Abbie Scott
FL	20
SH	21
FH	22	Lauren Cattell
WG	23
Coach:
Nicky Ponsford

Assistant referees:
Jamie Morgan (Wales)
Alun Emmanuel (Wales)
Assessor:
n/a

Week 2


IRELAND:
FB	15	Niamh Briggs (C)
RW	14	Aoife Doyle
OC	13	Jenny Murphy
IC	12	Katie Fitzhenry
LW	11	Alison Miller
FH	10	Nora Stapleton
SH	9
N8	8	Heather O'Brien
OF	7	Claire Molloy
BF	6
RL	5	Sophie Spence
LL	4	Marie Louise Reilly
TP	3	Ailis Egan
HK	2	Gillian Bourke
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16	Sarah Mimnagh
PR	17
PR	18	Fiona O'Brien
LK	19	Orla Fitzsimmons
FL	20	Katie Norris
SH	21
CE	22	Jackie Shiels
WG	23	Sene Naoupu
Coach:
Tom Tierney


FRANCE:
FB	15	Jessy Trémoulière
RW	14
OC	13	Élodie Poublan
IC	12	Céline Héguy
LW	11	Julie Billes
FH	10	Camille Cabalou
SH	9	Yanna Rivoalen
N8	8	Safi N'Diaye
OF	7
BF	6	Coumba Diallo
RL	5
LL	4	Manon André
TP	3
HK	2	Gaëlle Mignot (C)
LP	1	Lise Arricastre
Replacements:
HK	16	Wendy Divoux
PR	17	Élodie Portaries
LK	18
FL	19
SH	20	Cécilia Saubusse
FB	21	Carla Neissen
WG	22
PR	23
Coach:
Jean-Michel Gonzalez

Assistant referees:
Helen O'Reilly (Ireland)
Dermot Blake (Ireland)
Assessor:
n/a


SCOTLAND:
FB	15	Chloe Rollie
RW	14	Hannah Sloan
OC	13
IC	12
LW	11
FH	10	Lisa Martin
SH	9
N8	8	Jade Konkel
OF	7	Lyndsay O'Donnell
BF	6
RL	5
LL	4
TP	3	Tracy Balmer (C)
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Jules Maxton


WALES:
FB	15
RW	14	Elen Evans
OC	13	Adi Taviner
IC	12
LW	11	Laurie Harries
FH	10
SH	9
N8	8	Rachel Taylor (C)
OF	7	Sioned Harries
BF	6	Sian Williams
RL	5	Jenny Hawkins
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FH	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Rhys Edwards

Assistant referees:
Alex Pratt (Scotland)
Alexandra Gordon-Smith (Scotland)
Assessor:
n/a


ENGLAND:
FB	15	Kay Wilson
RW	14	Ruth Laybourn
OC	13	Abigail Brown
IC	12	Ceri Large
LW	11
FH	10
SH	9
N8	8
OF	7	Hannah Gallagher
BF	6	Alexandra Matthews
RL	5	Abbie Scott
LL	4	Tamara Taylor (C)
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Rowena Burnfield
FL	20
SH	21
FH	22
WG	23
Coach:
Nicky Ponsford


ITALY:
FB	15	Manuela Furlan
RW	14	Maria Magatti
OC	13
IC	12	Paola Zangirolami
LW	11	Michela Sillari
FH	10
SH	9	Sara Barattin
N8	8	Silvia Gaudino (C)
OF	7	Elisa Giordano
BF	6
RL	5	Alice Trevisan
LL	4	Flavia Severin
TP	3
HK	2	Melissa Bettoni
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16	Lucia Cammarano
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Alessia Pantarotto
FL	20
FH	21	Veronica Schiavon
CE	22
WG	23	Maria Diletta Veronese
Coach:
Andrea Di Giandomenico

Assistant referees:
Sara Cox (England)
Nikki O'Donnell (England)
Assessor:
n/a

Week 3


IRELAND:
FB	15	Niamh Briggs (C)
RW	14	Hannah Tyrrell
OC	13	Jenny Murphy
IC	12	Katie Fitzhenry
LW	11	Alison Miller
FH	10	Nora Stapleton
SH	9
N8	8	Heather O'Brien
OF	7	Claire Molloy
BF	6	Paula Fitzpatrick
RL	5	Marie Louise Reilly
LL	4	Sophie Spence
TP	3
HK	2	Gillian Bourke
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16	Sarah Mimnagh
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Orla Fitzsimmons
FL	20	Katie Norris
SH	21
CE	22	Jackie Shiels
WG	23	Sene Naoupu
Coach:
Tom Tierney


ENGLAND:
FB	15	Lauren Cattell
RW	14
OC	13
IC	12	Ceri Large
LW	11	Sydney Gregson
FH	10	Katy McLean (C)
SH	9
N8	8	Harriet Millar-Mills
OF	7	Hannah Gallagher
BF	6
RL	5	Abbie Scott
LL	4	Tamara Taylor
TP	3	Laura Keates
HK	2	Victoria Fleetwood
LP	1	Rochelle Clark
Replacements:
HK	16	Amy Cokayne
PR	17	Heather Kerr
PR	18	Justine Lucas
LK	19	Rowena Burnfield
FL	20
SH	21
FH	22
CE	23
Coach:
Simon Middleton

Assistant referees:
Joy Neville (Ireland)
John Carvill (Ireland)
Assessor:
n/a


FRANCE:
FB	15
RW	14	Shannon Izar
OC	13	Élodie Poublan
IC	12
LW	11	Julie Billes
FH	10
SH	9	Yanna Rivoalen
N8	8	Safi N'Diaye
OF	7	Laëtitia Grand
BF	6
RL	5	Céline Ferer
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2	Gaëlle Mignot (C)
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
LK	18
FL	19
CE	20
FB	21
WG	22
PR	23
Coach:
Jean-Michel Gonzalez


WALES:
FB	15
RW	14
OC	13	Adi Taviner
IC	12
LW	11	Laurie Harries
FH	10	Elinor Snowsill
SH	9
N8	8
OF	7
BF	6	Sian Williams
RL	5	Rachel Taylor (C)
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Rhys Edwards

Assistant referees:
Christine Hanizet (France)
Marie Lematte (France)
Assessor:
n/a


SCOTLAND:
FB	15	Chloe Rollie
RW	14
OC	13	Hannah Smith
IC	12
LW	11	Abi Evans
FH	10	Lisa Martin
SH	9
N8	8	Jade Konkel
OF	7
BF	6	Rachael Cook
RL	5	Emma Wassell
LL	4
TP	3	Tracy Balmer (C)
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
PR	16
HK	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Jules Maxton


ITALY:
FB	15
RW	14
OC	13	Michela Sillari
IC	12
LW	11	Maria Magatti
FH	10	Veronica Schiavon
SH	9	Sara Barattin
N8	8	Silvia Gaudino (C)
OF	7	Elisa Giordano
BF	6
RL	5
LL	4
TP	3	Lucia Gai
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
CE	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Andrea Di Giandomenico

Assistant referees:
Mhairi Hay (Scotland)
Kelly Mitchell (Scotland)
Assessor:
n/a

Week 4


ENGLAND:
FB	15	Fiona Pocock
RW	14	Ruth Laybourn
OC	13
IC	12	Ceri Large
LW	11	Lydia Thompson
FH	10	Katy McLean (C)
SH	9
N8	8	Harriet Millar-Mills
OF	7	Hannah Field
BF	6	Alexandra Matthews
RL	5	Rowena Burnfield
LL	4	Tamara Taylor
TP	3	Justine Lucas
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18	Heather Kerr
LK	19	Abbie Scott
FL	20	Hannah Gallagher
SH	21
FH	22
WG	23	Lauren Cattell
Coach:
Simon Middleton


SCOTLAND:
FB	15	Chloe Rollie
RW	14	Eilidh Sinclair
OC	13	Hannah Smith
IC	12	Nuala Deans
LW	11	Abi Evans
FH	10	Lisa Martin
SH	9	Sarah Law
N8	8	Jade Konkel
OF	7	Karen Dunbar
BF	6
RL	5	Emma Wassell
LL	4	Deborah McCormack
TP	3	Tracy Balmer (C)
HK	2	Lana Skeldon
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18	Katie Dougan
LK	19
FL	20	Lyndsay O'Donnell
SH	21	Mhairi Grieve
CE	22	Claire Bain
WG	23	Jenny Maxwell
Coach:
Jules Maxton

Assistant referees:
Sarah Toll
Matthew Daubney
Assessor:
Trevor Fisher


ITALY:
FB	15	Manuela Furlan
RW	14	Maria Magatti
OC	13	Michela Sillari
IC	12	Beatrice Rigoni
LW	11	Sofia Stefan
FH	10	Veronica Schiavon
SH	9	Sara Barattin
N8	8	Silvia Gaudino (C)
OF	7	Elisa Giordano
BF	6
RL	5	Alice Trevisan
LL	4	Flavia Severin
TP	3
HK	2	Melissa Bettoni
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
FL	18
LK	19	Alessia Pantarotto
LK	20	Valentina Ruzza
CE	21	Federica Cipolla
CE	22	Paola Zangirolami
WG	23	Maria Diletta Veronese
Coach:
Andrea Di Giandomenico


FRANCE:
FB	15
RW	14	Caroline Boujard
OC	13	Élodie Poublan
IC	12
LW	11	Julie Billes
FH	10	Camille Cabalou
SH	9	Yanna Rivoalen
N8	8	Safi N'Diaye
OF	7
BF	6
RL	5	Audrey Forlani
LL	4
TP	3	Julie Duval
HK	2	Gaëlle Mignot (C)
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16	Wendy Divoux
PR	17	Amaya Gonzalez
LK	18
FL	19
FL	20
FH	21
CE	22
PR	23
Coach:
Jean-Michel Gonzalez

Assistant referees:
Barbara Guastini (Italy)
Francesca Giuliani (Italy)
Assessor:
n/a


WALES:
FB	15
RW	14	Elen Evans
OC	13	Adi Taviner
IC	12	Gemma Rowland
LW	11	Laurie Harries
FH	10
SH	9
N8	8	Shona Powell-Hughes
OF	7	Sioned Harries
BF	6
RL	5	Rachel Taylor (C)
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
FH	23
Coach:
Rhys Edwards


IRELAND:
FB	15	Niamh Briggs (C)
RW	14
OC	13	Jenny Murphy
IC	12
LW	11	Alison Miller
FH	10
SH	9
N8	8
OF	7	Claire Molloy
BF	6	Paula Fitzpatrick
RL	5	Marie Louise Reilly
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Tom Tierney

Assistant referees:
Stuart Kibble (Wales)
Steff Edwards (Wales)
Assessor:
n/a

Week 5


ITALY:
FB	15	Manuela Furlan
RW	14	Maria Magatti
OC	13	Michela Sillari
IC	12	Beatrice Rigoni
LW	11
FH	10
SH	9	Sara Barattin
N8	8	Silvia Gaudino (C)
OF	7	Elisa Giordano
BF	6
RL	5	Alice Trevisan
LL	4	Flavia Severin
TP	3	Lucia Gai
HK	2	Melissa Bettoni
LP	1	Elisa Cucchiella
Replacements:
HK	16	Irene Campanini
PR	17	Awa Coulibaly
FL	18
LK	19	Alessia Pantarotto
LK	20	Valentina Ruzza
CE	21
CE	22
WG	23	Maria Diletta Veronese
Coach:
Andrea Di Giandomenico


WALES:
FB	15	Laurie Harries
RW	14	Elen Evans
OC	13
IC	12
LW	11	Adi Taviner
FH	10	Elinor Snowsill
SH	9
N8	8	Sioned Harries
OF	7	Rachel Taylor (C)
BF	6
RL	5
LL	4
TP	3	Catrin Edwards
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Rhys Edwards

Assistant referees:
Clara Munarini (Italy)
Maria Giovanna Pacifico (Italy)
Assessor:
n/a


ENGLAND:
FB	15	Fiona Pocock
RW	14	Ruth Laybourn
OC	13	Amber Reed
IC	12
LW	11	Lydia Thompson
FH	10	Katy McLean (C)
SH	9
N8	8	Alexandra Matthews
OF	7
BF	6	Hannah Gallagher
RL	5	Abbie Scott
LL	4	Tamara Taylor
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Rowena Burnfield
N8	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Simon Middleton


FRANCE:
FB	15	Jessy Trémoulière
RW	14
OC	13
IC	12	Élodie Poublan
LW	11	Julie Billes
FH	10
SH	9
N8	8	Safi N'Diaye
OF	7	Laëtitia Grand
BF	6
RL	5
LL	4	Manon André
TP	3
HK	2	Gaëlle Mignot (C)
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
LK	18
FL	19
SH	20
CE	21
WG	22
PR	23
Coach:
Jean-Michel Gonzalez

Assistant referees:
Sara Cox (England)
Tracey Pettingale (England)
Assessor:
n/a


SCOTLAND:
FB	15
RW	14	Nuala Deans
OC	13	Gillian Inglis
IC	12
LW	11	Eilidh Sinclair
FH	10	Lisa Martin
SH	9
N8	8	Jade Konkel
OF	7	Karen Dunbar
BF	6
RL	5	Emma Wassell
LL	4	Deborah McCormack
TP	3	Tracy Balmer (C)
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16	Sarah Quick
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19	Fiona Sim
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Jules Maxton


IRELAND:
FB	15	Niamh Briggs (C)
RW	14
OC	13	Jenny Murphy
IC	12
LW	11	Alison Miller
FH	10	Nora Stapleton
SH	9
N8	8	Heather O'Brien
OF	7	Claire Molloy
BF	6
RL	5	Marie Louise Reilly
LL	4
TP	3
HK	2
LP	1
Replacements:
HK	16
PR	17
PR	18
LK	19
FL	20
SH	21
CE	22
WG	23
Coach:
Tom Tierney

Assistant referees:
Alex Pratt (Scotland)
Mhairi Hay (Scotland)
Assessor:
n/a

External links

The official RBS Six Nations Site

Notes and References

Web site: Women's Six Nations: Ireland hammer Scotland to clinch title. BBC Sport. 22 March 2015.