2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations | RugbyPass' Team of Round 5

There was impossible to not enjoy Round 5 of the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

In Cardiff, Fabio Roselli’s Italy signed off with a comprehensive 43-24 win over Wales. The loss consigned Sean Lynn’s team to third wooden spoon in a row and their head coach is still yet to experience victory in the Women’s Six Nations.

Then, across the Irish Sea in Dublin, 31,294 supporters made their way through the turnstiles to set a new home record for a standalone women’s rugby international at the Aviva Stadium. All those fans were treated well as Scott Bemand’s side ran riot on Lansdowne Road to beat Scotland 54-5.

To conclude the tournament all eyes were on Bordeaux as the world champion England were hosted by a France team hellbent on ending the Red Roses’ seven years at the top of the Women’s Six Nations. An enthralling 80 minutes did follow as two Pauline Bourdon Sansus tries kept England on their toes. It took braces from Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach, along with an effort from Sarah Bern to secure an eighth Championship in a row for John Mitchell’s group.

Here is RugbyPass’ Team of Round 5…

15. Ellie Kildunne (England)

At full-time Ellie Kildunne described her two tries at the Stade Atlantique as “walk-ins”. Even so, the Keighley express had to be there to finish them. There was a little bit more to Kildunne’s performance than crossing the whitewash. She was the last set of hands for Jess Breach’s second try and generally found space whenever she touched the ball. In total the former World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year made 155 metres from 14 carries and completed three line breaks on a busy afternoon in Bordeaux.

14. Jess Breach (England)

Four tries in four Women’s Six Nations appearances this season is nothing to be sniffed at. Jess Breach’s habit of scoring tries has continued the entire Championship and, against France, saw her dot down twice. Both scores were crucial for England and Breach used every bit of her experience to find her way over the whitewash. When England needed her, Breach delivered.

13. Meg Jones (England)

Another one of those gnarly performances from England’s captain. The 29-year-old continued to provide the tempo for her backline and was instrumental in setting up England’s second try when she prodded the ball forwards for Ellie Kildunne to gather. In total Jones carries the ball 13 times for 19 metres, her distribution kept the attack alive and her 12 tackles emphasised the standards her teammates had to adhere to.

12. Eve Higgins (Ireland)

There is nothing Eve Higgins cannot do well. There, it has been said. Whatever role that the 26-year-old is asked to perform, she does it. No questions asked. And always excellently. On Saturday that role was a little bit of everything. She made the most tackles of all the Ireland backs [10]  and even made a grizzled 36 metres from 15 carries. Always consistent. Always brings it when Ireland need her most.

11. Alyssa D’Inca (Italy)

Restored to the wing after an outside centre experiment, Alyssa D’Inca has truly set the world alight for Italy in recent weeks. At this Championship the 24-year-old only failed to get over the whitewash against England and France. But a lot of people have struggled to do that over the years. Against Wales, D’Inca finished two smart tries, completed eight tackles and even completed eight tackles.

10. Dannah O’Brien (Ireland)

Dannah O’Brien’s performance in Ireland’s 54-5 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium will go down as one of her best in Test rugby. The 22-year-old effortlessly dictated play and displayed the very best of her kicking game in Dublin. It was a performance worthy of the occasion and one that all 31,294 people enjoyed on Lansdowne Road. After a tricky Women’s Rugby World Cup, it is fantastic to see O’Brien making great strides now.

9.  Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France)

If there was anyone who personified France’s want to finally overcome England, it was Pauline Bourdon Sansus. From the first minute the 30-year-old was a little but brighter than her teammates and was in the right place for the game’s opening try. She even took it upon herself to grab France’s second of the afternoon. Her country’s most-experienced player showed every ounce of her thousands of Test minutes to keep Les Bleues in the contest against the world champions.

1. Mackenzie Carson (England)

There were some truly Herculean efforts from England’s forward pack in Bordeaux. No one epitomised this more than Mackenzie Carson. The Gloucester Hartpury prop, who has in the past been underutilised by England, but made an invaluable 23 tackles on Sunday, won two turnovers and earned 26 metres from 11 carries.

2. Amy Cokayne (England)

There is an obvious pun about vintage and getting better with age to write about Amy Cokayne’s efforts in Bordeaux. At the heart of wine country, the 29-year-old was alive to everything. Her throws at the lineout were on the money. She even had a sense when her opposite number, Mathilde Lazarko, was about to miss her mark and pilfered the ball at the back of the line a couple of times. Her try in the dying embers of the match sealed it for the Red Roses. Just superb.

3. Sarah Bern (England)

It is pretty astonishing to think that Sarah Bern completed 21 tackles during hr 57 metres on the pitch. Before she made way for Maud Muir, the 28-year-old had also scored the game-levelling try in the first half and even made eight carries for 35 metres.

4. Valeria Fedrighi (Italy)

An away win in Cardiff if not a bad way to finish your career. Last week Valeria Federighi announced that Round 5 of this year’s Women’s Six Nations would see on the pitch for the last time. So what better way to say goodbye than with a really astute 70 minutes in the second row. During her time on the pitch Fedrighi completed 12 tackles and made 15 metres from seven carries.

5. Lilli Ives Campion (England)

Back in the starting line-up after a couple of weeks out with injury, Lilli Ives Campion slotted seamlessly back into the second row. Alongside a new lock partner in Delaney Burns, the 22-year-old led the lineout to devastating effect and even pit the shoulder in on 21 occasions. We will only see the Loughborough Lightning lock’s influence grow.

6. Brittany Hogan (Ireland)

A look over Brittany Hogan’s stats probably do not do her performance justice. She made 16 metres from 16 carries and completed 11 tackles compared to Erin King’s 16. But none of that really displays how busy the Sale Sharks forward was the entire 80 minutes she was on the pitch or how incisively she scored her tries to help register a dominant win. If one player’s stock has risen tenfold this Women’s Six Nations, it is undoubtedly Hogan’s.

7. Erin King (Ireland)

The image of Erin King singing Ireland’s Call with a grin on her face will live in the memory for a long time. It set the tone for Ireland’s record-breaking afternoon. One of the six Irish try-scorers in Dublin, the 22-year-old was busy like her back-row partner Hogan, but did complete five more tackled and won two turnovers. A high note for Scott Bemand’s new Ireland captain to end on after a fine first campaign.

8. Aoife Wafer (Ireland)

Aoife Wafer quite probably does not need her tyres pumping up anymore. But we may as well do it anyway. In Round 5, particularly in the first-half, the 23-year-old was unplayable. She was by far the best player on the pitch. By several country miles. By full-time the reigning Player of the Championship had two tries, made three line breaks, made 110 metres from 22 carries and even completed 12 carries. Ridiculous.