Women

1. Post update

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   

   Ceri Coleman-Phillips

   BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff Arms Park

   No record crowd at the Arms Park today, but the fans that are here have just clapped the Wales players off as they head down the tunnel for one last team talk.

2. ‘Wales aren’t posing enough questions’

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   

   Chris Horsman

   Former Wales coach on BBC Radio Wales

   From a Wales perspective, yes there’s an element of needing to start fast but you can only start fast if the opposition allow you and I don’t think they are posing enough questions to the opposition.

3. Wales must improve attack – Connor

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   Video content

4. As it stands

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   Eek. Wales fans, look away now…

   

   BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

5. Scots go third with Italy win

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   Scotland won in Italy in the Women’s Six Nations for the first time to go third and boost their World Cup hopes yesterday.

   Italy’s Alyssa D’Inca and Scotland’s Lana Skeldon exchanged converted tries in a tense first half.

   Emma Orr and Chloe Rollie got the crucial scores to put the Scots 10 points ahead before Beatrice Rigoni’s penalty brought Italy to 17-10.

   Rollie was yellow-carded late on, but Bryan Easson’s side did enough to move above next week’s hosts, Ireland.

   The team finishing third will join tournament hosts England and France in the 2025 World Cup.

   Video content

6. England on course for Slam

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   

   GettCopyright: Gett

   Abby Dow and Ellie Kildunne both scored hat-tricks as England hammered Ireland at Twickenham in front of 48,778 to remain on course for the Grand Slam.

   Centre Megan Jones and Jess Breach scored two tries each, with Natasha Hunt and Zoe Aldcroft also crossing in an 88-10 rout.

   Sadia Kabeya and Maddie Feaunati went over in the second half, with Ireland managing a penalty try in response.

   This was England’s record win over Ireland, beating a 79-0 win in 2002.

   Victory means the Red Roses have set up a potential Grand Slam decider with France next Saturday, if Les Bleues win today.

   England will head to Bordeaux full of confidence that they can secure a third successive Grand Slam and a sixth successive Six Nations title.

7. Wales ‘didn’t turn up’ admits captain Jones

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   Video content

8. ‘Stick with us’ Jones urges Wales fans

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   

   Huw Evans Picture AgencyCopyright: Huw Evans Picture Agency

   Wales captain Hannah Jones has urged fans to “stick with us” after their disappointing defeat to Ireland.

   Wales were stunned 36-5 in Cork and sit winless at the bottom of the Women’s Six Nations table.

   Jones has written an open letter to supporters explaining some of the comments she made post-match.

   “I said that Ireland showed more ‘heart and want’ than us, but some people took that as me saying Wales didn’t want to win, which I didn’t mean,” she wrote.

   “It’s not possible for anyone to want to win more than us, and our ambition every week is to come away with a win.

   “Our hearts are absolutely in our performance, and that’s why I was so affected by the loss after the match.

   “I also said that we didn’t turn up, and that we were not converting the opportunities we had in Ireland’s 22 into points on the board.

   “I didn’t mean to put the blame on any individual there. It was an honest reflection about what we all, including myself and the coaches, could be doing better.

   “Simply put, that wasn’t us on Saturday.”

   Jones was clearly disappointed in the news conference and said her responses came after being “physically and emotionally exhausted after giving it my all for 80 minutes”.

   “People have questioned whether our hearts were in the game. Of course they were, and my disappointment was because we didn’t match what Ireland brought to the Test,” Jones said in an article on the Contested App.

9. Post update

   Wales v France (15:15 BST)

   

   Ceri Coleman-Phillips

   BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff Arms Park

   I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wales captain Hannah Jones more disappointed than I did in last weekend’s post-match press conference in Ireland.

   Wales went into that match as clear favourites, yet were on the wrong end of a 36-5 drubbing.

   Jones later wrote an open letter urging fans “to stick with us” as they continue their professional journey.

   Wales haven’t beaten France in eight years, but you feel if they put in a performance they can be proud of, the press room will be a little more upbeat this evening irrespective of the result.

10. View from camp – France

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    GetCopyright: Get

    France forward Madoussou Fall said: “I played against Wales in Cardiff two years ago, and it is a really memorable match.

    “The supporters are really close to you, and they try to play with the ball as much as they can which the supporters like.

    “They aren’t regressing. They have improved over the last few years, and they just need to correct one or two things. We will have to improve our levels from last week and focus on what we are doing, not what our opponents are doing.”

11. Head to head

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

    Wales have played France in full Test matches 28 times but have only won just three times.

    Their last victory against Les Bleues was in Neath in 2016.

    Since then it’s been pretty miserable:

    • 2023 (A) Lost 14-39
    • 2022 (H) Lost 5-33
    • 2021 (A) Lost 0-53
    • 2020 (H) Lost 0-50
    • 2019 (A) Lost 3-52
    • 2018 (H) Lost 3-38
    • 2017 (A) Lost 19-39

    The only other Welsh successes against France were in 2006 and 2008.

12. France run in six tries against Italy

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    Watch highlights of France’s victory over Italy last week.

    Video content

13. Feleu sisters start for France

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

    France have handed Teani Feleu a first Test start among four changes.

    The number eight impressed on her international debut against Italy last week and is promoted to joining her elder sibling and captain Manae.

    Born in Mâcon, Burgundy, the two sisters grew up on the other side of the world, on the island of Futuna in French Polynesia.

    They play their club rugby together for Amazones in Grenoble and now come together to represent Les Bleues, who are going for their fourth consecutive win.

    Wings Anne-Cécile Ciofani and Joanna Grisez as well as centre Chloé Jacquet are promoted from France Sevens straight into the starting team.

    France: Emilie Boulard; Joanna Grisez, Chloe Jacquet, Gabrielle Vernier, Anne-Cécile Ciofani; Lina Queyroi, Pauline Bourdon Sansus; Annaëlle Deshaye, Agathe Sochat, Assia Khalfaoui, Manae Feleu (capt), Charlotte Escudero, Romane Ménager, Emeline Gros, Teani Feleu

    Replacements: Elisa Riffoneau, Ambre Mwayembe, Clara Joyeux, Madoussou Fall, Gaëlle Hermet, Alexandra Chambon, Lina Tuy, Morgane Bourgeois

14. France a ‘real force’ in world game – Cunningham

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    Huw Evans Picture AgencyCopyright: Huw Evans Picture Agency

    Wales still have a slim chance of finishing third, which would secure 2025 Rugby World Cup qualification and retain their place in WXV1 this autumn.

    But they would have to start by beating France today – a tall order having lost heavily to them in recent meetings.

    “France are one of the best teams in the world and they are a real force in the world game,” said Cunningham.

    “They are a major challenge for us and they are favourites for this Test match.

    “We have all taken a long, hard look at ourselves this week and have stripped our game back and focused on what we have to do.

    “We have drawn a line in the sand and we need a performance at Cardiff Arms Park.”

15. Richards makes Wales debut amid changes

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    Huw Evans Picture AgencyCopyright: Huw Evans Picture Agency

    Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham has dropped several big names from his starting team and hands Catherine Richards a Test debut.

    Jasmine Joyce, Keira Bevan, Kerin Lake, Bethan Lewis and Jenny Hesketh all lose their places from the side defeated by Ireland.

    Kayleigh Powell comes in at full-back as one of seven changes from Cork.

    Richards and Courtney Keight start as wings, with Carys Cox moving to centre.

    Sian Jones is preferred at scrum-half, while in the pack Natalia John is back in the second row with Georgia Evans moving to number eight.

    Fly-half Mollie Wilkinson is set to win a first cap from the bench, which features last weekend’s try-scoring debutant Gwennan Hopkins.

    Joyce and Bevan are also among the replacements.

    “Catherine Richards has had to wait for her Wales cap and will be the fifth new cap during this campaign,” said Cunningham.

    “She deserves her opportunity, having shown what a threat she can be during the Celtic Challenge and in the PWR [Premiership Women’s Rugby].

    “Kayleigh and Courtney have impressed and made an impact when they have come on, and deserve their places in the starting line-up.”

    Wales: Kayleigh Powell; Catherine Richards, Hannah Jones (capt), Carys Cox, Courtney Keight; Lleucu George, Sian Jones; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Abbie Fleming, Natalia John, Alishia Butchers, Alex Callender, Georgia Evans.

    Replacements: Molly Reardon, Abbey Constable, Donna Rose, Kate Williams, Gwennan Hopkins, Keira Bevan, Mollie Wilkinson, Jasmine Joyce.

16. Prynhawn da and welcome

    Wales v France (15:15 BST)

    

    Huw Evans Picture AgencyCopyright: Huw Evans Picture Agency

    Good afternoon from Cardiff Arms Park for the final game of this weekend’s Women’s Six Nations.

    And we have two teams at very opposite ends of the table coming face to face in the Welsh capital.

    Wales are in dire straights… three games, three defeats and bottom of the table.

    It’s such a far cry from last year when they were hitting new heights by finishing third in championship and sixth place in the world rankings.

    In stark contrast, France are bristling with confidence after wins over Ireland, Scotland and Italy and are looking for a victory to keep the pressure on leaders England.

    So can Wales spring a shock in the Spring sunshine?

    First, let’s have a look at the teams.

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