2026 Women's Six Nations talking points: Which Ireland International has 'established themselves as world-class'?

The 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations finale has been set up perfectly. Next weekend we will see who out of France or England lift silverware in Round 5 when the pair go up against one another this Sunday.

In Round 4 the Red Roses registered a 61-33 victory over Italy in Parma, while François Ratier’s France were 69-28 winners against Scotland at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh and Ireland beat Wales 33-12 on Saturday evening.

At Bordeaux’s Stade Atlantique in the Round 5 Grand Slam decider, John Mitchell’s side are looking for their eighth title in a row, while France aim to win a first Women’s Six Nations since 2018.

Here are three talking points from Round 4 of the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations…

It was always about Round 5 in 2026

This is an obvious thing to say. We all knew, somewhere in our minds, that as soon as the fixtures for 2026 were announced. But this Championship was always going to be decided when the Red Roses travelled to Bordeaux in Round 5.

That is not to say that the past five weeks have been background noise, each fixture has offered its own brilliance in glorious technicolour – it was just only ever England’s to lose and France’s to gain.

Ireland are a longer-term project with immense upside. Italy have flashes of brilliance but struggle for consistency. Scotland had a new head coach and injuries. Wales, well, all they needed to see this Women’s Six Nations was gradual improvement from match to match.

Even with François Ratier as their new head coach and a whole string of debutants this tournament, Les Bleues have clicked into gear serenely. After four games they have scored 173 points and conceded just 49. Pauline Barrat, Anaïs Grando, Siobhan Soqeta and Mathilde Lazarko were ready-made Test match players. There has been no fear.

Their four try-scoring bonus points mean they are level with England at the top of the table heading into this weekend’s Stade Atlantique clash. Against Scotland they were ruthless, even if they did allow the Scots to bag a try-scoring bonus point.

In many ways it has been a tale of the same old England this Women’s Six Nations. The world champions arrived at this tournament as favourites. Of course they did. They have won the competition seven years running. Even as injuries and absence tried to whittle away their credentials, John Mitchell’s team have looked frighteningly unfazed.

Ahead of the tournament Meg Jones claimed that the thing motivating England was the prospect of being the first women’s or men’s team to win a Six Nations right after claiming a Rugby World Cup title. Sometimes that is all it takes to motivate a team.

Aoife Wafer has established herself as world-class

Reigning Player of the Championship, Aoife Wafer, has kicked things up a notch in 2026. The 23-year-old has played lights out rugby for much of the Women’s Six Nations and, if it were in any doubt, be properly looked at as a world-class talent.

We did not get to see the back-row at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. Not really. When we did, she ended the match with a dental impression and as a quarter-final loss to France. It was not quite the tournament anyone wanted to see from the County Wexford native.

Since her move to Harlequins in Premiership Women’s Rugby, Wafer has scored seven tries and has increasingly been utilised at No.8. It is that move truly pushing her to the next level right now. A powerful ball-carrier, she has found a way to consistently beat the first defender, find space and keep Ireland on the move.

In a back-row that also boasts the talent of Erin King and Brittany Hogan – who is playing the best rugby of her career right now – it is hard to stand out. Wafer makes it look easy.

There is little doubt that the 23-year-old has the British & Irish Lions Women’s tour of New Zealand in her sights next year. She may well be a Test starter.

Scotland have a lot of soul-searching to do

If you want to pin down where Scotland have gone wrong this Women’s Six Nations, there are plenty of places you could look.

Injuries have hammered Sione Fukofuka’s squad. They have had wholesale changes in their coaching set-up but, in fairness, France have too. There has been an lack of intensity from the Scots at times.

Some of that seemed to be addressed in their loss to France. Rachel Philipps provided a direct option in midfield and a completely different dimension to the attack. A lot seemed click. A lot that seemed absent in earlier losses to England and Italy.

Scotland have always been a somewhat troubling puzzle. You know when you watch them that there are plenty of players in the prime of their careers. You just cannot always tell that when they are in a national shirt.

Rachel Malcolm is so important that the pain of her absence is felt even by the supporters and, at 34, you do wonder how many Women’s Six Nations that the skipper has left in the tank.

Ireland and over 28,000 supporters at Aviva Stadium in Dublin wait this weekend. It could well be a rude conclusion to the tournament if the Irish are in the mood at their first standalone fixture at the venue.