England are the irresistible Women's Six Nations force

A glitzy launch in London last week was proof of the Women's Six Nations' progress and prominence, but the question ahead of the 2024 edition remains the same - how do you stop the England winning machine? While the tournament is often termed a duopoly, the truth is that you have to go back to 2018 to find the last time that it was not the Red Roses in full springtime bloom come the end of the championship.

- HARRY LATHAM-COYLE

Could that change this year? England begin their first full campaign under John Mitchell intent on continuing the evolution that began at WXV1 in the autumn, when the Red Roses, according to their new head coach, “made a statement” by getting revenge on world champions New Zealand in their own backyard. In camp, the talk is not of simply winning this tournament again but of growing the gap and forging an allcourt style that will allow them to beat opponents in whichever way they please.

The rest can only hope for some teething problems. Mitchell has laid out his plans to several senior figures to rotate across the first few rounds of the competition ahead of a likely grand slam decider in Bordeaux on the final weekend and has made a number of intriguing selection calls. Among these is the conversion of the great Emily Scarratt into an inside centre on her return from a neck injury, borne out of a desire to best utilise her playmaking acumen and have extra gas in the outside channels. The absence of Sarah Bern, perhaps the world’s best individual player, leaves a hole on the tighthead to be filled, too.

It is now a 12-game winning run for England against France, who shape-up as their closest foes once again. Eight one-score games tell their own story of French near misses – the feeling is

to find the last time that it was not the Red Roses in full springtime bloom come the end of the championship.