By Joe Towns

 

The women’s rugby revolution WILL be televised . . . (mostly).

 

They wear the same kit, with the same badge on the chest. They sing the same anthems. They play by the same rules; same bonus points, same tackle directive.

 

But up until this season media coverage for Women’s Rugby has been far from the same as that enjoyed by their male counterparts. Last weekend’s edition of the Rugby Paper came with a 16 page pull-out guide to the Six Nations; Women’s rugby got just one page.

 

But slowly, ever so slowly, things are changing. This year, for the first time, every single fixture will be televised and broadcast live. Somewhere. Albeit still in a slightly ad hoc fashion, with matches scattered across Sky Sports, some on ITV, a few streamed online via the BBC red button, two live on BBC Wales another live on BBC Alba, and BBC Network will also, for the first time, be running a weekly Sunday night women’s Six Nations highlights show presented by Lee McKenzie. Ad hoc or not, it’s a lot better than it once was.

 

So, now that the revolution is being televised, the pressure is firmly on the women to bring some entertainment, a chance to add something different to the Six Nations Party.

 

Wales’ Women, if their preparation is anything to go by, certainly look up to the challenge.

 

New coach Rowland Phillips has made an immediate impact; he made his daughter Carys team captain, dropped Wales’ only professional player (Sian Williams) from the squad, picked a handful of uncapped players and, most notably has won his first four games on the spin since taking charge last summer, including two impressive friendly wins in recent weeks out in Benidorm against Spain and over Ireland in Dublin.

 

Wales’ opening Six Nations match this year is against Italy, at the wonderfully named Stadia Communale Pacifico Carotti in Jesi . . . (yeah, I had to look it up, too).

 

A straightforward “W” for the Wales team you might think, but you’d be wrong. Italy shocked Wales last year, beating them 16-12 in Aberavon. In fact, Wales have faced the Italians 16 times, winning 11, but losing the last 3, so it’s no gimme.

 

Wales will be fit though, Phillips and his staff have made sure of that. But the harsh reality remains; these Welsh girls are still a part-time team, a mix of teachers, sports coaches, police officers, soldiers and students juggling jobs and weights. However, they don’t want your sympathy. In fact, Wales’ stalwart Rachel Taylor has banned talk of sacrifices – “It’s our choice, we choose to play, we do it because we love it,” she says, emphatically.

England, who Wales face in the second round, start the tournament as clear favourites. They have the World’s best player in Sarah Hunter. Add to that they are now a fully professional operation after the RFU took the decision to contract every single player in their 38 woman squad. A bold, historic move, and one that signals their ambition in a World Cup year….but it might just serve as extra motivation for the other nations, as well as piling extra pressure on the English. One hopes.

 

Wales will play at their new home, Cardiff Arms Park. With respect, a far better venue than the grounds they’d been forced to play on in recent seasons, like Taffs Well, Aberavon and The Gnoll. The match v England is an 1130am kick off on Saturday February 11th in Cardiff, live on BBC Wales, and a crowd of at least 6000 is expected. At £15 (£10 for kids) it’s far more reasonable than watching next door.

 

Don’t expect much from Scotland this season, they haven’t won an international game since 2011 and they haven’t won in the Six Nations since 2010. Their two losses to Spain in the Autumn meant the Scots failed to qualify for the World Cup later this summer. They are shocking.

There is, if you think about it, a far stronger argument for including other European nations in the Women’s Six Nations than there is in the men’s game. On merit, and world rankings, Spain deserve a Six Nations spot ahead of the Scots. But we won’t go there.

So, who should we look out for in the Welsh side?

 

Jasmine Joyce

Jazz has never played for Wales in a Six Nations match, and she has narrowly missed out on a place in the squad travelling to Italy this weekend, but she showed the world her wheels in Rio last summer burning up the opposition with some devastating open field running in the Olympic 7s. If Jazz finds her rhythm and some wide open space she can make defences look like they are doing the mannequin challenge, (she scored 6 tries in one game for Cardiff Met University this season) but she has not yet been fully tested on the 15-a-side international stage.

 

Elinor Snowsill

Star of an online video that went viral last year when she dressed up as the Admiral lady and “punked” a few of the Welsh Mens’ players. Snowsill is a gifted, running fly half in the Welsh tradition. Silky on the ball, kicks well out of hand and off the deck, distributes comfortably off both hands, and like most tens needs to work on her defence to become the full package.

 

Rachel Taylor

 Miss Dependable. A decade of doing the dirty work, the North Walian has over 50 caps, bags of experience, is a brilliant line out option, and as captain during last year’s tournament she showed real leadership quality too. Solid.

 

Carys Phillips

Anyone who thinks Carys getting the captaincy is a sign of nepotism obviously hasn’t seen her play. Powerful, explosive runner, dynamic ball carrier, rock solid, bone crunching defender. Just like her old man!  She will lead from the front, and if her teammates follow her, they could go far this year.

 

Wales Woman: Inside the Scrum is on BBC Wales on Thursday Feb 9th. 

 

Wales v England is live on BBC Wales on Sat Feb 11th.

 

And there’s a Women’s Six Nations Highlights show every Sunday night on BBC.