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Only a cataclysm can stop England from winning the Women's Six Nations. They are a brilliant side.

They have scored 145 points in their four match. Only Ireland have managed to score against them. France have lost just one match and have an outside chance - as outside as you can get.; Their points' difference is 51, England's 140. The simple fact is that France are not going to do it. All they can achieve is to deny England a Grand Slam.

In theory Ireland also have a chance. The luck of the Irish may not stretch to miracles!

Fixtures for Round 5

France vs England
Ireland vs Scotland
Wales vs Italy

Previous Results

Round 1
England vs Wales, 31-0
Ireland vs Italy, 22-5
Scotland vs France, 10-8

Round 2
England vs Italy, 41-0
France vs Ireland, 19-9
Wales vs Scotland, 28-12

Round 3
England vs Ireland, 22-5
Italy vs Scotland, 6-6
France vs Wales, 15-3

Round 4
Ireland vs Wales, 18-3
France vs Italy, 45-14
England vs Scotland, 51-0

France vs England

England coach Gary Street, whose eyes are partly on the Women's World Cup later this year, has made five changes to the team that defeated Scotland 51-0 on Saturday.

Street has recalled Rochelle Clark, Sophie Hemming, Margaret Alphonsi, Captain Catherine Spencer and Rachael Burford to the starting line-up. Emma Layland and Karen Jones also keep their place in the 22 after making their first starts for England this year last weekend.

Street said: "This is a really strong squad for our game against France. We have got a lot of players in form; so selection has been really difficult. There were around 27 players with their hat in the ring for selection, but we have had to make the cut to 22 and I am certainly pleased and confident in my final selection."

England will not take the improving French lightly. 

England:  15 Fiona Pocock (Richmond), 14 Katherine Merchant (Worcester), 13 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), 12 Rachael Burford (Richmond), 11 Amber Penrith (Worcester), 10 Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) (vice-captain), 9 Amy Turner (Richmond), 8 Catherine Spencer (Bristol) (captain), 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), 6 Heather Fisher  (Worcester), 5 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 4 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), 3 Sophie Hemming (Bristol), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 1 Rochelle Clark (Team Northumbria)
Replacements: 16 Emma Layland (Richmond), 17 Claire Purdy (Wasps) , 18 Rebecca Essex (Richmond), 19 Karen Jones (Worcester), 20 La Toya Mason (Wasps), 21 Alice Richardson (Richmond), 22 Claire Allan (Richmond)

France: 15 Elodie Poublan (Montpellier), 14 Céline Allainmat (Rennes), 13 Sandrine Agricole (Rennes), 12  Lucille Godiveau (Rennes), 11 Caroline Ladagnous (Lons), 10 Aurélie Bailon (Perpignan), 9 Marie-Alice Yahe (Perpignan), 8 Sandra Rabier (Caen) (captain), 7 Marie Charlotte Hebel (Gérone), 6 Claire Canal (Perpignan), 5 Hasna Rhamouni (Gennevilliers), 4 Cyrielle Bouisset (Perpignan), 3 Lenaick Lorre (Rennes), 2 Laetitia Salles (Perpignan), 1 Stéphanie Loyer (Bobigny 93).
Replacements: 16 Clémence Ollivier (Rennes), 17 Nadège Labbey (Caen), 18 Manon Andre (Saint Orens), 19 Amandine Vaupre (Caen), 20 Jennifer Troncy (Montpellier), 21 Fanny Griselin (Bobigny 93), 22 Fanny Horta (Perpignan)

Date: Friday, 19 March 2010
Kick-off: 19.00 (GMT)
Venue: Stade Vélodrome, Rennes
Expected weather conditions:
Referee: Alan Rogan (Ireland)

Ireland vs Scotland

Scotland, for so long a force in women's rugby, started well enough but have wilted somewhat since then. On the other hand Ireland's women's rugby has been improving steadily.

Ireland coach Kevin West has made three changes to the starting line-up from last weekend's terrific 18-3 win over Wales at the same venue.  Up front, Gillian Bourke comes in at hooker with Sinead Ryan starting on the flank. In the back-line, Nora Stapleton comes in on the left wing, joining Niamh Briggs and Amy Davis in an exciting back-three.

Chris Fanning and Caroline Mahon have been included among the replacements, along with recent debutant Eliza Downey who makes her first appearance in the match day squad since the opening game of the Championship.

Scotland Women have made some changes. Nicola Halfpenny makes her debut at fullback while Lucy Millard  plays her 50th match. With an eye on the forthcoming World Cup, Celia Hawthorn switches to wing. Erin Kerr returns to the squad following injury.

Teams

Ireland: 15 Niamh Briggs (Clonmel), 14 Amy Davis (Blackrock), 13 Joanne O'Sullivan (Richmond), 12 Grace Davitt (Blackrock), 11 Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere), 10 Helen Brosnan (Highfield), 9 Tania Rosser (Blackrock), 8 Joy Neville (UL Bohemians), 7 Sinead Ryan (Navan), 6 Orla Brennan (Blackrock), 5 Marie Louise Reilly (Navan), 4 Kate O'Loughlin (Clonmel), 3 Lauren Day (Cooke/Ulster), 2 Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians), 1 Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians) (captain)
Replacements: 16 Chris Fanning (Highfield), 17 Louise Austin (UL Bohemians), 18  Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians), 19 Carol Staunton (Galwegians/), 19 Sinead Ryan (Navan), 20 Louise Beamish (UL Bohemians), 21 Shannon Houston (Blackrock), 22  Eliza Downey (Cooke/Ulster)

Scotland: 15 Nicola Halfpenny (Melrose) , 14 Celia Hawthorn (Edinburgh University), 14 , 13 Lucy Millard (Team Northumbria), 12 Veronica Fitzpatrick (RHC Cougars), 11 Lynsey Douglas (London Wasps), 10 Tanya Griffith (RHC Cougars), 9 Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars), 8 Susie Brown (Richmond), 7 Donna Kennedy (Worcester), 6 Lynne Reid (RHC Cougars) (captaiin), 5 Lindsay Wheeler (Team Northumbria), 4 Louise Moffat (Murrayfield Wanderers), 3 Gillian McCord (RHC Cougars), 2 Sarah-Louise Walker (Watsonians), 1 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill)
Replacements: 16 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), 17 Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers), 18 Natalya Macholla (Stirling County), 19 Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), 20 Sarah Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers), 21 Erin Kerr (Wasps), 22 Stephanie Johnston (Hillhead/Jordanhill)

Date: Friday, 19 March 2010
Kick-off: 19.30
Venue: Ashbourne RFC
Expected weather conditions:
Referee: Hervé Dubes (France)
Assistant referees: Ken Beggs (Ireland), Peter Dennehy (Ireland)
Assessor: Bernard Boland (Ireland)

Wales vs Italy

Italy get their captain back, centre Paola Zangirolami, as well as their scrumhalf Valentina Schiavon. They also have an uncapped player - Valentina Virgili.
 
The only change the Welsh have made is on the bench where 110-capped Louise Rickard comes in for injured scrumhalf.

Coach Jason Lewis said: "We're obviously looking to finish the championship on a winning note. We've got to give ourselves some confidence going into the World Cup. But we have to cut out the basic errors and mistakes from our game. You can't give away 20 penalties and expect to win an international game of rugby."

Teams

Wales: 15 Mared Evans (UWIC)), 14 Aimee Young (UWIC), 13 Ceri Redman (UWIC), 12 Naomi Thomas (Cardiff Quins), 11 Non Evans (Cardiff Quins), 10 Awen Thomas (Unattached), 9 Amy Day (Bristol Ladies), 8 Mellissa Berry (Blaydon) (captain), 7 Jamie Kift (Bristol Ladies), 6 Catrina Nicholas (Cardiff Quins), 5 Rachel Taylor (Cardiff Quins), 4 Gemma Hallett (Pontyclun), 3 Jenny Davies (Waterloo), 2 Rhian Bowden (UWIC), 1 Catrin Edwards (Cardiff Quins)
Replacements: 16 Claire Horgan (Saracens), 17 Louise Horgan (Saracens), 18 Claire Donovan (Saracens), 19 Lisa Newton (UWIC), 20 Louise Rickard (Woodbridge Amazons), 21 Caryl James (Cardiff Quins)

Italy squad: Sara Barattin (Casale), Giuliana Campanella (Red&Blu), Maria Grazia Cioffi (Benevento), Elisa Cucchiella (Red&Blu), Maria Beatrice Denza (Red&Blu), Michela Este (Benetton Trevis), Manuela Furlan (Benetton Treviso), Lucia Gai (Sitam Riviera Del Brenta), Silvia Gaudino (Monza 1949), Daniela Gini (Red&Blu), Leila Pennetta (Red&Blu), Silvia Peron (Sitam Riviera Del Brenta), Sara Pettinelli (Red&Blu), Elisa Rochas (Monza), Valentina Schiavon (Sitam Riviera Del Brenta), Flavia Severin (Benetton Treviso), Licia Stefan (Benetton Treviso), Michela Tondinelli (Benetton Treviso6), Maria Diletta Veronese (Valsugana Padova), Valentina Virgili (Monza), Paola Zangirolami (Sitam Riviera Del Brenta),  (captain), Cecilia Zublena (Sassenage Isere)

Date: Sunday, 20 March 2010
Kick-of: 14.00
Venue: Brewery Field, Bridgend
Expected weather conditions: 50% chance of rain, a high of 12°C , dropping to 8°C and a westerly wind of 28 km/h
Referee: Andres Ttofa (England)
Assistant referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Neil Howells (Wales)