2022 Women’s Six Nations Team of Round Three

After three rounds of the Women’s Six Nations it is England and France who lead the way, each with a maximum 15 points from their three games.

England were dominant against a previously unbeaten Wales with a 58-5 victory and have now scored 31 tries and conceded just two in their matches to date.

France wrapped up another bonus-point win in beating Scotland 28-8, albeit that they failed to score a single point in the second half, while Ireland notched their first victory of this year’s championship in beating Italy 29-8 in Cork.

So who were the standout performers, the players who most impressed?

2022 Women’s Six Nations Team of Round Three

15. Chloe Rollie (Scotland)

The scorer of the points that saw Scotland win the second half against France, she also made more metres and broke more tackles than any other player on either team. A real threat.

14. Jess Breach (England)

She may have been away from the Test stage for a year because of injury but she wasted little time in adding to her incredible try-scoring record for the Red Roses.

She crossed twice at Kingsholm to make it 27 tries in just 20 Tests! Clinical.

13. Emily Scarratt (England)

It’s hard to believe she’s less than a handful of games into her comeback from a broken leg. She carried superbly, busting holes in Wales’ defence to become the only player on either side to break the three-figure mark for metres made (147).

Plus, the pass she fizzed to Abbie Ward helped to set up arguably the best try of the afternoon for England, Alex Matthews the scorer, and she crossed herself late on too.

12. Stacey Flood (Ireland)

Not only was her kicking game key to Ireland clearing pressure and gaining territory – she kicked 450-plus metres against Italy – but she impressed in defence too. She was Ireland’s top-tackling back.

11. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Ireland)

Controversially denied a first-half try but a constant threat in attack and punches well above her weight in defence.

Her kick-chase in the 50th minute put pressure on Manuela Furlan and forced the Italian captain to take the ball over the line and concede the 5m scrum from which Ireland were awarded a penalty try.

10. Zoe Harrison (England)

Jessy Tremouliere was Player of the Match against Scotland, scoring a try, kicking four conversions and producing a couple of 50:22s, but Harrison was excellent against Wales.

The length and precision of her kicking game – a key contrast to that of Wales – delivered territory for England while her pinpoint distribution created opportunities out wide.

9. Laure Sansus (France)

She was replaced at half-time after appearing to suffer an injury in scoring her second try but for those first 40 minutes she was yet again the key to France securing the try bonus point by half-time.

The scrum-half was creator and scorer of the opening try with a clever chip while she reacted well to a chargedown for her second.

1. Linda Djougang (Ireland)

The performance of the Irish pack was key to their first win of the championship and Djougang was integral to that. Then there’s her carrying game and dominant tackles.

2. Neve Jones (Ireland)

The hooker’s work-rate has impressed throughout this year’s championship. It was the same again in Cork, where she was amongst Ireland’s top tacklers.

As well as finishing off a textbook driving maul before the break, she was part of a pack that overpowered the Azzurre and delivered a penalty try at scrum time.

3. Sarah Bern (England)

Christine Belisle came to the fore as Scotland won the second half against France 5-0, but you simply can’t ignore Sarah Bern doing Sarah Bern things against Wales.

On top of the powerful set-piece performance, she busted tackles almost at will and scored a try.

4. Sam Monaghan (Ireland)

Another strong weekend for second-rows – Celine Ferer, Sarah Bonar and Sara Tounesi others worthy of mention – but Monaghan gets the nod for yet another star performance.

She was Ireland’s top carrier and central to the hosts’ strong set-piece in Cork.

5. Abbie Ward (England)

Player of the Match against Wales. Ward scored a try herself in the first half, provided a try assist with her pass to Alex Matthews in the second and was at the heart of a dominant forward display from first minute to last, both in the lineout and the scrum.

6. Gaelle Hermet  (France)

Prominent in the lineout and in defence, the French skipper also created Laure Sansus’s second try with her chargedown on Jenny Maxwell’s clearance and scored the bonus-point try thanks to good support play.

7. Marlie Packer (England)

Another relentless performance from the openside. She may not have made the same impact on the scoreboard as she did in the Scotland opener but she made the same impact around the pitch. She was the Red Roses’ top carrier and tackler.

8. Evie Gallagher (Scotland)

Yes, she started at openside but when Jade Konkel was replaced in the 55th minute, she packed down at No 8. Her all-action display made her Scotland’s top carrier and tackler as well as the third highest metre-maker.

What do you think of this 2022 Women’s Six Nations Team of Round Three? Who would make your composite XV from this weekend? Email rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com with your views.

Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.

Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.