Sinead Kissane

Yes, the Championship went well for Ireland last year, but I just think we may have glossed over that final day defeat because even though they got those back-to-back third places in the last two Six Nations, which, let's be honest, from where this Irish team came from and

when Scott Beaman came in, you know, was still huge progress.

But like losing to Scotland on the final day, I tell you, even for this year's championship, that's going to set it up really nicely because there's a nice little rivalry growing there.

But then obviously then in the World Cup last year, when you think about who they were without,

obviously Aoife Wafer came back for the quarterfinal I mean Dorothy Wall and Aaron King like it was the nightmare scenario and they you know played it down and they carried on and with their preparation for the World Cup but we can look back on it after and go it was such a nightmare scenario

for them to be without the players that they were.

And Aoife Wafer, like she played practically in one leg in that quarterfinal and it was one of the most heroic performances I have ever seen by anyone.

So definitely, but you will, they will be going for those three home wins this year, but you kind of want to see them kind of really rattle.

France obviously would be the big away game, but making it uncomfortable at the very least for England as well this weekend.

It kind of does, but I do feel that Ireland are closing the gap on France.

So I think that will be a really interesting game.

England, it'd be really interesting to see how they go this weekend.

Obviously, they're huge, huge favourites.

But they, you know, will be kind of a different looking England team this weekend.

Abby Dow, one of their leading try scorers, isn't going to be there.

Their captain announced that she's pregnant, so she won't be there.

It's one of...

A few players who've announced their pregnancies after the World Cup who won't be there for England this weekend.

Tatiana Hurd, their mainstay centre, is not going to be there this weekend.

So I kind of think this might be... Now, look, they have incredible strength and depth, England, of course, and they've got the best league in the world in the PWR.