Guinness Women’s Six Nations: England v Ireland

Seven months on from the Rugby World Cup, Ireland kick off their 2026 schedule with a new captain in returning back rower Erin King, and have two debutants on the bench – Eilís Cahill and Katie Whelan – for this eagerly-awaited Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener against England.

2026 GUINNESS WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1:

Saturday, April 11 –

ENGLAND v IRELAND, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, 2.25pm (live RTÉ 2/RTÉ Player/BBC One/BBC iPlayer/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra/BBC Sounds)

Team News: Head coach Scott Bemand has made six personnel changes from the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France, as the Ireland Women’s team (sponsored by Aon) take on newly-crowned World champions England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

Back from the horrific knee injury she suffered against England last year, King will lead Ireland into the 2026 Championship in London, while experienced hooker Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, who comes in as a starter, will reach the milestone of 50 Test caps.

Two of the three enforced changes are in the back-line where winger Vicky Elmes Kinlan will make her second Six Nations start, taking over from Amee-Leigh Costigan who is pregnant with twins, and an injured Aoibheann Reilly makes way for Emily Lane at scrum half.

Stacey Flood and Béibhinn Parsons complete the back-three, centres Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins are fresh from helping the Wolfhounds to win their third successive Celtic Challenge title, and Dannah O’Brien, still just 22, begins her fourth Six Nations campaign in the number 10 jersey.

Galway native Moloney-MacDonald forms a strong front row with Ellena Perry, on her Six Nations bow for Ireland, and Linda Djougang. The fit-again Wall teams up at lock with Fiona Tuite, who reverts from the back row. Sam Monaghan misses out through injury.

Moloney-MacDonald will become the 16th Ireland Women’s player to make half a century of senior international appearances, following on from Djougang doing so during last year’s World Cup in England.

Brittany Hogan, King, and Aoife Wafer, the 2025 Player of the Championship, are reunited in the back row for the first time since the 2025 Six Nations. A number of Hogan and Wafer’s club-mates are in the England side, with the pair now playing for Sale Sharks and Harlequins, respectively.

Bemand has an exciting mix of youth and experience among his replacements, with Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Ruth Campbell, and Grace Moore joined by newcomer Cahill, the UL Bohemian prop who impressed recently for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge, as the forward reinforcements.

There is also a potential first cap for replacement scrum half Whelan, who has previously lined out for the Ireland Women’s Sevens team, while Six Nations debutant Nancy McGillivray and Anna McGann complete Ireland’s matchday 23.

“A couple of years ago – people have asked me about the last time an Ireland Women’s side went to Twickenham – it was a different story. That group was young with less experience,” commented Bemand.

“Now you’ve got a group that is going to get energised by a crowd, by an occasion. These are the occasions that we want to be part of. We want people to see that we can go to England and fire shots and actually put a performance out there.

“If we get the performance right, the result will take care of itself. But we want people to get behind it. This is a great time to be involved in these spaces.”

On Moloney-MacDonald, he added: “Across the World Cup, it was probably more of a bench-and-on piece, but Clí has earned the right to turn up to a game on Saturday to start.

“In terms of her character and what she brings, she’s a combative player. She is a great scrummager. Her physicality will shine through. What a great opportunity for her to run out in what’s going to be a great occasion with a big crowd.”

Meanwhile, a record Guinness Women’s Six Nations crowd of over 75,000 will be in attendance as John Mitchell’s England team begin a new cycle under centre Meg Jones’ captaincy.

Vice-captains Amy Cokayne and Alex Matthews, alongside flanker Sadia Kabeya and lock Morwenna Talling, are the only members of the English pack that started the World Cup final against Canada back in September.

There are a total of eight changes from that game, including a start at inside centre for Helena Rowland in place of the injured Tatyana Heard. Holly Aitchison and Lucy Packer swap in for Zoe Harrison and Natasha Hunt at half-back.

Notably, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald will play against her wife Clíodhna for the first time. The Exeter Chiefs winger replaces the retired Abby Dow on the left wing, while Loughborough Lightning second row Lilli Ives Campion starts up front, taking over from a pregnant Abbie Ward.

Among the replacements, England Under-21 international Haineala Lutui is in line for her Red Roses debut. The Loughborough forward has impressed in the PWR this season, making a league-high 337 metres from 226 carries.

Speaking ahead of the game, head coach Mitchell said: “It’s fantastic opportunity to be returning to Allianz Stadium in front of our fans for the first time since the World Cup final.

“We’ve all felt the lasting impact of 2025, and that is reflected in the incredible ticket sales for Saturday’s match. The players relish, and absolutely deserve, the opportunity to perform in front of record crowds, but they also understand the responsibility that comes with that stage.

“We know success in this competition is never given – it has to be earned every time. We’ve prepared well as a group, and the players are ready to express themselves fully. We cannot wait to get started.”

Guinness Women’s Six Nations Fixtures

Guinness Women’s Six Nations Table

ENGLAND: Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins); Jess Breach (Saracens), Meg Jones (Trailfinders Women) (capt), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Hollie Aitchison (Sale Sharks), Lucy Packer (Harlequins); Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury).

Replacements: Connie Powell (Harlequins), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury).

IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks), Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (capt), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins).

Replacements: Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht).

Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
Assistant Referees: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU), erenice Loubet (FFR)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZR)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)

Pre-Match Quotes: Erin King (Ireland) –

Myself and Dorothy Wall were both injured at similar times, and we definitely spoke about moments like this, getting to wear the green jersey again and never taking it for granted.

“It was a really good learning, I guess, and I have this whole new perspective and really grateful to be here with such an amazing team.

“We’ve had a great two week of preps, and I think the team is in a really, really good place. It is a great, great squad which is full of talent. So I really do have belief in this team, and I do think we’ve shown evidence to back that belief up.

“It’s brilliant that it is an occasion, but what matters to us is the stuff that happens in between the four white lines. So if we can get that stuff right, I think we’ll be happy.”

Meg Jones (England) –

We pride ourselves on having the best fans, the best support and also people getting behind Women’s rugby. We’re trying to build a legacy, we’re trying to change the game.

“We’re trying to raise the floor and hopefully that’s shown with the backing of our Union, but also where we’re putting in and the spectators turning up to our games.

“Ireland have made huge gains over the last couple of years with Scott Bemand in charge. I have no doubt that they’ll be bringing the same intensity, the same knowledge, and wanting to develop their game just as much as we are.”

Pre-Match Links –

Opta Facts: Guinness Women’s Six Nations – England v Ireland

In Pics: Captain’s Run In London As Ireland Want To Use Occasion ‘To Drive Performance’

Lane: We’re Just Focusing On Getting Our Performance Out There

Recent Meetings –

2023: TikTok Women’s Six Nations: Ireland 0 England 48, Virgin Media Park

2024: Guinness Women’s Six Nations: England 88 Ireland 10, Twickenham Stadium

2025: Guinness Women’s Six Nations: Ireland 5 England 49, Virgin Media Park

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