Guinness Women’s Six Nations: Ireland v France

Led by a first-time captain in Amee-Leigh Costigan, Ireland return to the scene of last September’s 150th Anniversary Test win over Australia as they launch their Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign in Belfast against France (kick-off 1pm).

2025 GUINNESS WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1:

Saturday, March 22 –

IRELAND v FRANCE, Kingspan Stadium, 1pm (live Virgin Media One/Virgin Media Play/BBC Two Northern Ireland/BBC iPlayer/RTÉ Radio 1 Extra/BBC Radio Ulster)

Coming To The Match? All You Need To Know For Ireland v France

Opta Facts: Women’s Six Nations – Ireland v France

Team News: For head coach Scott Bemand’s first selection of 2025, Ireland (sponsored by Aon) will have captain Costigan and vice-captain Neve Jones as the on-pitch leaders, with squad captain Edel McMahon set for an impact role off the bench.

It will be the first time that Tipperary-born winger Costigan captains Ireland in a Test match, having previously led the Ireland Sevens team on the HSBC SVNS Series circuit.

Stacey Flood, Anna McGann and Costigan form a strong back-three combination, Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton make up the midfield pairing, and Emily Lane partners Dannah O’Brien at half-back.

In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd, Jones, a PWR title winner with Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend, and Linda Djougang start in the front row, with the 21-year-old Ruth Campbell, who makes her Six Nations debut, and Dorothy Wall in the engine room.

Ulster’s own Brittany Hogan starts at blindside flanker, Erin King – the World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year for 2024 – will make her Championship bow at openside, and Aoife Wafer completes the starting XV for the first round fixture.

Bemand has strong options among the replacements with Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Grace Moore, Fiona Tuite, and McMahon providing the forward reinforcements, while Aoibheann Reilly, who recently returned to action following an ACL injury, and Enya Breen are the two reserve backs.

Speaking ahead of the clash with les Bleues, Bemand said: “We are really excited to get our 2025 season underway in front of our home crowd in Belfast this Saturday, and no better challenge to start with than the visit of a very talented France side.

“We have had a strong block of preparation leading into the Championship, and the intensity of training and competition for places within the matchday squad has driven standards in camp.

“Building on from our WXV1 campaign last autumn, we’re now focused on producing a performance this Saturday and showcasing further growth and evolution in our game at the start of a very exciting year for Irish Rugby.”

Meanwhile, France coaches Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have made six personnel changes to the team that lost 39-14 to New Zealand in their final WXV1 encounter in October.

Manaé Feleu and Marine Ménager will lead the French side in Belfast as co-captains, and with Ménager’s twin, Romane, ruled out through injury, Feleu’s younger sister, Téani, comes in at number 8 for the start of her second Six Nations.

With Assia Khalfaoui nursing a knee problem, Montpellier’s Rose Bernadou gets the nod at tighthead prop, and Sevens star Séraphine Okemba, who switches to openside flanker with Charlotte Escudero picked at blindside, is set for her Championship debut.

Carla Arbez is preferred to Lina Queyroi at out-half, making her first international appearance since November 2023. She links up at half-back with the most-capped member of the current French squad, Pauline Bourdon Sansus, who has played 61 Tests to date.

Ménager will have 22-year-old duo Morgane Bourgeois, who missed WXV1, and Mélissande Llorens for company in the back-three, as the French Women target their 20th win in 23 Six Nations meetings with Ireland. They last lost to the girls in green in 2017.

Guinness Women’s Six Nations Fixtures

Guinness Women’s Six Nations Table

IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC); Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC), Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster) (capt); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC); Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).

Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster).

FRANCE: Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais/Rugby Club Parempuyre); Mélissande Llorens (Blagnac RF/Capbreton Hossegor Rugby), Nassira Konde (Stade Bordelais/Terres de France Rugby), Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac RF/Rueil AC), Marine Menager (Montpellier HR/Stade Villeneuvois) (co-capt); Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais/Oleron RC), Pauline Bourdon Sansus (Stade Toulousain/Capo Limoges); Yllana Brosseau (Stade Bordelais/RC Créteil Choisy), Agathe Sochat (Stade Bordelais/USA Limoges), Rose Bernadou (Montpellier HR/Les Rives d’Orb), Manaé Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones/Afili Futuna Rugby) (co-capt), Madoussou Fall-Raclot (Stade Bordelais/Drop de Béton), Charlotte Escudero (Stade Toulousain/Rugby Club Valettois Revestois), Séraphine Okemba (Lyon OU Rugby/RC Drouais), Téani Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones/Afili Futuna Rugby).

Replacements: Manon Bigot (Blagnac RF/Blagnac RF), Ambre Mwayembe (FC Grenoble Amazones/US Vizille), Clara Joyeux (Blagnac RF/JSE SP Grammatoise), Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac RF/Espalion Nord Aveyron), Léa Champon (FC Grenoble Amazones/US Vinay), Alexandra Chambon (FC Grenoble Amazones/US Montmélian), Lina Queyroi (Stade Toulousain/Union Rugby Club Auvezere), Émilie Boulard (Blagnac RF/Rugby Club Chilly-Mazarin).

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Holly Wood (England), Amelia Luciano (USA)
TMO: Rachel Horton (Australia)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)

Pre-Match Quotes: Linda Djougang (Ireland) –

I think that the massive thing has been belief. It was belief in Vancouver (when we finished second in WXV1), and that’s what we really spoke about, our belief.

“We definitely wanted to get to that level of France and England, and I think that we’re definitely moving in the right direction from last year, qualifying for the World Cup and coming third in the Six Nations.

“We’ve done that before so now we don’t want to settle there because we know that we’re better than that.

“I think that we definitely want to step it up and the big competition for us starting this Saturday with France, to kind of prove that. It’s going to be a big game, but we’ve done our preparation and we’re ready for it.”

David Ortiz (France) –

(With the France senior Men and Under-20 Men both being crowned Six Nations champions last weekend) it’s a lot of positive energy coming back to us, being reflected back to us.

“I don’t think their journey has been easy. It was also fraught with pitfalls, but despite everything, in the end, both won their respective tournaments. It’s certainly inspiring.

“Ireland are clearly one of the teams that’s been evolving very strongly over the past two or three seasons. They’re getting their shape together.

“They’re clearly one of those teams that will be part of the world stage in the future or even the very near future. So, of course, we’re expecting a very, very tough match in Belfast, in a rather unusual context.

“It is also a real opportunity for us to get our tournament off to a good start. We know what awaits us, we know it’s going to be very tough. Despite that, we know we have the tools to win this game.”

Pre-Match Links –

Recent Meetings –

2022: TikTok Women’s Six Nations: France 40 Ireland 5, Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse

2023: TikTok Women’s Six Nations: Ireland 3 France 53, Musgrave Park

2024: Guinness Women’s Six Nations: France 38 Ireland 17, Stade Marie-Marvingt, Le Mans

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