It's not controversial to suggest that the Guinness Women’s Six Nations would be a more entertaining competition without England in it.
The Red Roses will almost certainly win a seventh title in a row this year, with the only time they’ve missed out on a Grand Slam being back in 2021 when the Covid-affected championship didn't have a slam on offer.
It’s seven years since their last defeat in this competition, and as impressive as that is, it would be nice to see a shake-up in the top order.
The flip side of that coin is that their dominance, and the explosion of their popularity has forced everyone else to get their house in order. When the day comes that Ireland – or someone else – knocks them off their perch, they will owe the English a debt of gratitude. For the time being, everyone must focus on closing the gap, bit by bit.
It was refreshing this week to see Scott Bemand and the Irish squad speaking about this England team like they are human, though.
Considering Ireland lost by 78 points when the sides met last year, it would have been very easy to play the underdog card and lean into the idea that they have nothing to lose in Cork this afternoon, but there’s been a reassuring bullishness and a defiance coming from the camp in recent days that Bemand's side won’t be overawed.
It didn't make headlines in Ireland, but the two-week build-up to this game has been dominated across the water by the reaction to a TikTok dance between England’s Sarah Bern and Wales full-back Jasmine Joyce-Butchers live on the BBC after their meeting in Cardiff two weeks ago, which England won 57-12.
The backlash was largely against Joyce, with suggestions it was unprofessional of her to take part in some fun shortly after a heavy defeat, and both players – who are team-mates at Bristol – have offered the understandable explanation that they’re two friends having some fun and trying to grow the game towards a younger audience.
While it was ultimately a harmless bit of fun, it does underline the perception amongst a section of the British media that the house of women’s rugby belongs to the Red Roses, and everyone else is just renting a room. Any ire should be directed at the TV producer who asked Joyce-Butchers to take part. Had Wales pulled off a famous win, you can be sure they wouldn’t have asked Bern to do the same.
It’s very likely that Ireland will lose to England today, and it’s probable that it will be by a comfortable margin, but the message from the Irish camp is that they won’t roll over.
This team are still in the very early stages of their journey, and given the age-profile of players like Aoife Wafer (below), Erin King, Aoife Dalton, Dannah O’Brien, Dorothy Wall and Beibhinn Parsons, we are probably four or five years away from seeing them hit their peak.
With wins away to Wales and Scotland the big target later this month, this game against England won’t define the campaign, but it does give Ireland the opportunity to see just how far they have progressed in the last 12 months.
The lineout has been transformed, with a 95% success rate in the opening two games, having operated at 61% and 69% in the last two campaigns, although it will be given a serious test this afternoon by England, who have stolen eight lineouts so far in this year’s championship.
The opening defeat to France was a frustrating one as they left the game without even a losing bonus-point, having been in a position to possibly even win it with 10 minutes left.
Their handling and ball-skills let them down in Belfast, but they showed significant improvements against Italy in Parma a fortnight ago, scoring eight tries in a 54-12 win against Italy, which has kick-started their season.
It’s hard to read too much into the stats comparisons between the sides ahead of the game, with Ireland having used the same 23 players two games in a row, while only two England players have started both opening wins, with John Mitchell rotating his side heavily across the opening two games.
Their selection this week shows no sign of complacency, with Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir and number 8 Alex Matthews returns, having missed out on the first two games due to suspension, following her red card in the Premiership final.
It’s also a side that shows just two changes from the 88-10 game at Twickenham last year, with second rows Abbie Ward and Morwenna Talling the only two different faces in the starting team.
If you want an idea of how further down the road England are, you only have to look at the caps, with 1,012 Test appearances across their matchday squad, compared to 416 for Ireland. Their bench alone has 293 caps, just four fewer than Ireland’s starting team.
Like England, Ireland have also made three changes, reversing the switches Bemand made for the win in Parma, as Dorothy Wall, Brittany Hogan and Emily Lane are all rewarded for their impacts off the bench with starting roles.
Edel McMahon and Enya Breen both miss out due to injury, and that’s led to a reshuffle on the bench, with Bemand reverting to a 5:3 split, with Nicole Fowley covering out-half, and Vicky Elmes Kinlan making her Six Nations debut.
Verdict: England by 20
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Anna McGann, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan (capt); Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane; Niamh O'Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Fiona Tuite, Dorothy Wall; Brittany Hogan, Erin King, Aoife Wafer.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Ruth Campbell, Grace Moore, Aoibheann Reilly, Nicole Fowley, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.
England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Meg Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Hannah Botterman, Lark Atkin-Davies, Maud Muir, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward; Zoe Aldcroft (capt), Sadia Kabeya, Alex Matthews.
Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Kelsey Clifford, Sarah Bern, Rosie Galligan, Maddie Feaunati, Lucy Packer, Hollie Aitchison, Helena Rowland.
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