By Jackie Finlan

While the Women’s Six Nations might feel distant to US spectators, there are meaningful connections to the European competition. Aside from the fact the USA played three of the Women’s Six Nations teams in the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the crossover has continued.   

While nations like England and France have the depth and resources for dedicated 7s and 15s programs, other nations (including the USA) need to combine player pools, especially when fixtures overlap. Some players missed the opening round of the Women’s Six Nations in favor of the HSBC Women’s Seven Series stop in Sydney and/or the Super 7s, two fixtures in which the USA competed.

For those who watched the USA 7s in Sydney, Ireland’s Katie Fitzhenry will be familiar. She helped her team to a 19-10 win over the Eagles for 7^th place, a decision that saw the USA finish 1-5 overall. Ireland has reintegrated Fitzhenry into the backline for Saturday’s match against Italy. Watch how she pairs with fellow center Sene Naoupu and if that 7s fitness shines through.

The Super 7s followed the Sydney tournament a week later, and the USA Falcons did well to win its three pool games on day one. The most thrilling match occurred against Wales, which featured two players who will represent their country in the Women’s Six Nations against England on Saturday. Sioned Harries (Wales’ leading try-scorer at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup) and Elinor Snowsill (a World Cup flyhalf) were both very influential in at the Super 7s last weekend, but the USA Falcons prevailed in a confidence-boosting 26-17 victory. Wales will be eager to suit up these two players, especially after surviving Scotland in a one-point win during Round 1.

Wales will have its hands full with England, which doesn’t have 7s crossovers in the squad but has its connections to the U.S. Americans have been crossing the Atlantic to sample the now-named Tyrrells Premier 15s (including Jess Wooden: read more), but the traffic goes both ways. Ellie Kildunne, the 19-year-old dynamo who lit up the England backline last weekend, was playing in Las Vegas last year. She and fellow Hartpury (Gloucester) teammate Ella Wyrwas helped Atlantis to a Girls’ High School Elite title at the LVI 7s. 

Kildunne, unsurprisingly, was named MVP of the 2017 tournament. This week, Kildunne is moving from fullback to outside center, pairing with Rachael Burford, so watch for more insight into the youngster’s game. 

Hopefully the USA 15s team will have some direct contact with any one of the Women’s Six Nations teams this year, so FloRugby can stream those games as well! 

Round 2 of the Women’s Six Nations will air live via FloRugby.com:

SATURDAY, FEB. 10

(EST/PST)

7:15 a.m. / 4:15 a.m. Wales @ England Watch Live

2:05 p.m. / 11:05 a.m. France @ Scotland Watch Live

SUNDAY, FEB. 11

8:00 a.m. / 5:00 a.m. Italy @ Ireland Watch Live

Jackie Finlan has been writing about rugby in the USA and around the world for years. She is the editor of The Rugby Breakdown, which mainly covers the women's game in the USA.