Having been beaten by France at the same stage in 2015, Ireland’s women are out for revenge when they travel to Perpignan for Saturday’s eagerly-awaited clash at the iconic Stade Aime Giral.

Les Bleues have never lost to the Irish on home soil since their first meeting in 1994, and will cement their position as the second best team in the World Rugby Women's Rankings behind New Zealand if that record is maintained. Given the near five-point gap between the two nations, it is impossible for Les Bleues to overhaul the Black Ferns, although with victory they can reduce the deficit by at least six tenths.

But Ireland go to France with more than an ounce of hope. The last three matches played in France have ended with a French winning margin of 10 points or less and the game before that, in May 2008, ended in a 22-22 draw.

Last season Ireland could afford to lose 10-5 to France at Ashbourne yet still go on and win the Women’s Six Nations title - albeit only after Italy stunned France in the penultimate round.

Each side makes just one change from the starting XVs that served them well on the opening weekend.

For Ireland, Leinster hooker Cliodhna Moloney is brought in at the expense of Zoe Grattage who drops to the bench, while France replace Coumba Diallo with Laetitia Grand.

If Ireland tear up the history books and win by more than 15 points, and England lose to Italy at the Stadio Gino Pistoni in Ivrea, the girls in green will jump two places to second in the rankings on the back of a 2.03 points gain.  

France go into round two top of the table on points difference following their 39-0 win over Italy. England are second after seeing off Scotland 32-0, while Ireland recorded a 21-3 victory over Wales to lie third.

Minimal changes

England, like their male counterparts, have never lost to Italy in a test match, the closest result being 25-9 at Women’s Rugby World Cup 1991.

An identical winning margin or more would improve England’s ranking by just five hundredths, not enough to take them above France unless Les Bleues lose to Ireland, in which case they would replace them in second. 

England lead coach Scott Bemand has resisted the temptation to change things too much from the win over Scotland, only adding uncapped Poppy Leitch and the experienced Lydia Thompson to the bench in place of Lucy Demaine and Courtney Gill.

Led by captain and scrum-half Sara Barattin, Italy have named an experienced starting XV boasting 424 caps between them. Padova forward Silvia Folli will win her first cap if she comes off the bench.

Even if they pull off a shock result on Saturday, Italy will remain eighth in the rankings because the gap between themselves and Australia (2.99 points) is too big for them to overhaul.

The final game of the weekend pits Wales against Scotland at The Gnoll, in Neath, in a game where both sides will be looking for morale-boosting wins.

Wales’ bid to end a four-game losing streak has not been helped by the loss of influential captain Tamara Taylor to a rib injury. Hooker Carys Phillips takes the armband in her absence, while Taylor is replaced by Scarlets flanker Alisha Butchers, who won her first cap from the bench in the loss to Ireland.

Wing Lauren Harris steps off the bench in the only change to the Scotland XV that drew a blank against England in round one.

Scotland’s winless run in test matches dates back to 2011 when they beat the Netherlands in Amsterdam. They haven’t won in the Championship since 2010 but victory is a must if they are to have a chance of securing one of two qualification places available via the Six Nations for Women's Rugby World Cup 2017.

Break that cycle or not, Scotland are resigned to staying in 13th place in the rankings. Wales cannot move any higher than their current position of 10th.

Photo credit: JF Bassett