The TikTok Women’s Six Nations kicks off this weekend with Ireland getting the action started with a trip to play Wales in Cardiff.
This year’s tournament is once again given its own window in the calendar and the hope is that the gans of 2022 can be added to once more.
There was a 70 percent increase in match attendance and a 135 percent increase in TV ratings, while on social media there were 5.6bn views of #SixNationsRugby and 108.7m views on TikTok – contributing to a 375 percent increase in the competition’s TikTok channels, 92 percent increase in social followers and 445 percent increase in video views.
This year’s Championship will be broadcast in 157 territories, 21 more than 12 months ago, and Super Saturday on the final day will see England take on France in the 80,000-plus capacity Twickenham Stadium.
England’s performance in a brilliant World Cup Final last year has cemented their position as favourites but there is more on the line this year with the final positions in the tournament feeding into whether teams will be in the top or the second tier of the new WXV series that will be played later this year between the top sides in World Rugby.
Ireland were one of three teams to win two and lose three in 2022, finishing fourth between Wales and Italy, and ahead of Scotland.
Last year began with a dramatic late defeat at home to Wales and they followed that up with a tricky trip to France, which ended in a 40-5 reverse.
A five-try 29-8 triumph over Italy was therefore a much-needed Round 3 tonic and though they were well beaten by England next up, Head Coach Greg McWilliams ensured his first campaign in the hot seat finished on a high as Scotland were beaten 15-14, Enya Breen crossing for the winning try with the clock in the red.
Tomorrow’s Wales game could then be seen as a crunch game in the battle to be the best of the rest behind England and France but sport has to be about optimism and there will be no acceptance in the Irish camp of that being the height of this season’s ambition.
“The start of a Championship campaign is always an exciting time and we come into this weekend ready to get to the task against a strong Welsh side,” said McWilliams who will be assisted through the tournament by Munster Head Coach Niamh Briggs.
“We have had a good block of preparation and this is the start of the next chapter on our journey, which we started as a group in Japan last summer.”
Nichola Fryday will captain the side from the second row, with two uncapped players named in the Match Day squad.
18-year-old Ulster prop Sadhbh McGrath is selected in the front row having impressed McWilliams and the Ireland coaching team during the recent Celtic Challenge competition, while Leinster’s Niamh O’Dowd is also in line for her debut cap off the bench.
The Ireland backline contains an exciting blend of youth and experience, with the likes of Méabh Deely, Aoife Dalton and Natasja Behan – who all made their debuts during last summer’s historic Tour of Japan – set to make their first Six Nations appearances.
Deely, Behan and Aoife Doyle make up the back three, with Dalton joined by the experienced Enya Breen in the Ireland midfield. Nicole Cronin and Molly Scuffil-McCabe are named as half-backs, with Dannah O’Brien and Vicky Irwin providing the backline reinforcements on the bench.
Up front, debutant McGrath packs down alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang, with captain Fryday and Sam Monaghan in the second row. Monaghan was identified as the Ireland Player to Watch in the Six Nations Preview of the Tournament this week.
Dorothy Wall, Maeve Óg O’Leary and Brittany Hogan are selected in the back row, with the uncapped O’Dowd, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Christy Haney, Jo Brown, Grace Moore and Hannah O’Connor giving McWilliams strong options from the bench.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 2-15 and is live on RTÉ2 and the BBC iPlayer.
