Women's Six Nations: Why England's Title Defense is in Deep Water

The Women's Six Nations tournament is underway, and defending champions England are already facing an uphill battle to retain their title.
After a narrow win over Scotland in their opening game, the Red Roses were comprehensively beaten by France in their second match. The 36-10 defeat was England's heaviest loss in the Women's Six Nations since 2009, and it leaves them with a mountain to climb if they want to win the tournament.
There are a number of reasons for England's poor start to the tournament. Firstly, they have been hit by injuries to key players, with the likes of Emily Scarratt and Sarah Hunter both missing the first two matches. Secondly, they have struggled to adapt to the new laws, which have been introduced to make the game more free-flowing and attacking.
However, the biggest problem for England has been their lack of cutting edge. They have created plenty of chances in both games, but they have been unable to finish them off. Against France, they had 60% of possession and 222 attacking metres, but they only managed to score two tries.
England's next game is against Ireland, who are also unbeaten after two matches. A win for Ireland would put them in a strong position to win the title, while a defeat for England would all but end their hopes.

Despite their poor start, England still have the quality to win the Women's Six Nations. They have a number of world-class players, and they have a lot of experience at this level.

However, they need to find their form quickly if they want to retain their title. They need to be more clinical in attack, and they need to be more solid in defense. If they can do that, they will be a match for any team in the tournament.

Key Players to Watch

Emily Scarratt (England) - The centre is one of the most experienced players in the England team, and she is a key part of their attacking game.
Sarah Hunter (England) - The flanker is a world-class player, and she is England's captain. She is a key part of their defense.
Jessy Trémoulière (France) - The fly-half is one of the most exciting players in the world, and she is a key part of France's attacking game.
Chloe Jacquet (France) - The prop is one of the most powerful players in the world, and she is a key part of France's scrum.
Beibhinn Parsons (Ireland) - The centre is one of the most dangerous players in the Ireland team, and she is a key part of their attacking game.

Predictions

The Women's Six Nations is always a closely fought tournament, and this year is no different. England are the defending champions, but they will face a tough challenge from France, Ireland, and Scotland.

Here are my predictions for the tournament:

France to win the tournament
England to finish second
Ireland to finish third
Scotland to finish fourth
Italy to finish fifth
Wales to finish sixth

Call to Action

The Women's Six Nations is a great tournament, and I encourage everyone to get behind their team and support women's rugby.