Is England’s Dominance Hurting the Women’s Six Nations? Rugby Paper Roundup ft Fi Tomas

Is England’s Dominance Hurting the Women’s Six Nations? Rugby Paper Roundup ft Fi Tomas

From The Rugby Paper Podcast by The Rugby Paper

May 6, 2026 · 37 min · Episode 172

About this episode

The episode discusses England's dominance in the Women's Six Nations and its implications for the competition, featuring insights from guest Fi Tomas.

In this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Roundup…Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock is joined by Telegraph reporter and leading women’s rugby voice Fi Tomas to preview Round Four of the Women’s Six Nations.England head to Italy with a perfect record. We break down John Mitchell’s latest selection, including Helena Rowland earning her 50th cap, Ellie Kildunne’s shift to the wing to accommodate Emma Sing, and what England’s evolving attack says about where this side is heading tactically.We also discuss:• Whether England are adapting or evolving under Mitchell• Italy’s growth after an impressive win over Scotland• The “England need to lose” debate — and what it means for the competition• Anaïs Grando and France’s attacking threats against Scotland• Ireland’s expansive rugby under Erin King• Wales’ difficult run and Sean Lynn’s start in chargeFi also shares insight from her recent analysis work, including why female props are producing far more offloads and tries than in the men’s game — and what that tells us about the evolution of women’s rugby.We also discuss the wider growth of women’s sport, the rise in coverage since the Lionesses’ Euros triumph, and what it’s meant for Fi…

People in this episode

Host: Ben Jaycock

Guest: Fi Tomas

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Telegraph, BBC

Places: England, Italy, Scotland, France, Ireland, Wales

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