Chiefs Women back on international duty

Five Exeter Chiefs Women will be in action for the final weekend of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Back-row Maddie Feaunati and winger Claudia MacDonald have been selected to start for the Red Roses against France in a winner-takes-all showdown at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday (KO 16:45).

Meanwhile, captain and flanker Edel ‘Tricky’ McMahon and back-row Dorothy Wall will start for Ireland against Scotland (Saturday - KO 14:30 at Hive Stadium), with hooker Cliodhna Moloney looking to make an impact off the bench.

In other international news, lock/back-row Linda van der Velden has been in action for the Netherlands in the Rugby Europe’s Women’s Championship, racking up two wins out of three, with the last game seeing the women in orange running out 90-3 winners over Sweden. Spain took the title, however, with the Netherlands finishing three points behind them in the table.

Full-back Lori Cramer has been called up to the Wallaroos’ extended training camp ahead of the Pacific Four Series, while Canada have named DaLeaka Menin, Mikiela Nelson, Taylor Perry and Alex Tessier in the 36-player squad for the same competition. Gabby Cantorna, Charli Jacoby and Hope Rogers have been named in the USA Eagles’ spring player pool too along with former Chiefs favourite Rachel Johnson.

Closer to home, scrum-half and Flt Lt Lucy Nye has been in action for the Inter Service Championship with the RAF beating the Royal Navy 36-10 at the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend. Our RAF co-captain will take on the Army at Kingsholm on May 17.

Chiefs Women’s interim head coach Steve Salvin said: “It is great to see so many of our players in action across the world. Our domestic season may have been over for a few months but there is plenty of women’s rugby for supporters to enjoy in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup and the return of the PWR. Our European players have already made a good case for selection in August and no doubt our Pacific players will do the same.”

England

15 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 7 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 51 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers, 24 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 28 caps)
11 Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 56 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 79 caps)
1 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 55 caps)
2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 65 caps)
3 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 39 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 21 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 73 caps)
6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 62 caps) - captain
7 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps)
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 74 caps)

Replacements:
16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 82 caps)
17 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 13 caps)
18 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 70 caps)
19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 23 caps)
20 Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women, 1 cap)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 30 caps)
22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 39 caps)
23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 38 caps) 

Ireland

15 Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster, uncapped)
14 Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC, 3 caps)
13 Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 22 caps)
12 Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster, 28 caps)
11 Amee-Leigh Costigan Railway Union RFC/Munster, 17 caps)
10 Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 23 caps)
9 Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster, 21 caps)
1 Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 14 caps)
2 Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury, 34 caps)
3 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 45 caps)
4 Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 6 caps)
5 Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster, 14 caps)
6 Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster, 36 caps)
7 Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht, 33 caps) - captain
8 Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster, 31 caps)

Replacements:
16. Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs, 42 caps)
17 Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster, 14 caps)
18 Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster, 23 caps)
19 Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster, uncapped)
20 Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC/Ulster, 4 caps)
21 Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC, 14 caps)
22 Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC, 25 caps)
23 Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC, 18 caps)

England's game will be available to watch on BBC2 while the Ireland match will be on BBC Scotland. Both fixtures will also be available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.