Four more Exeter Chiefs Women involved in round four of Six Nations
Published on: 07/05/2026
Exeter Chiefs Women will provide four more players to round four of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
In addition to No 8 Maddie Feaunati, winger Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and scrum-half Flo Robinson being selected for the Red Roses, winger Francesca Granzotto will hope to come off the bench for Italy to face them at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Saturday (KO 14:00).
Prop Demi Swann will also start the game on the bench for Scotland as they take on France at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh. (KO 16:15).
Lastly, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald continues her run in the starting hooker’s jersey with Dorothy Wall behind her in the second row. They will be looking forward to a home fixture against Wales at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast (KO 18:30) where Exeter Chiefs Men played last weekend.
Moloney-MacDonald, who is the top carrier and has made the most post-contact metres made as a hooker in this Six Nations, said: “It’s great to be back in the starting jersey again and to get the opportunity to play.
“Obviously, we were very disappointed after the last game against France. We felt we left a lot of chances behind us, particularly in the first half. The score did not reflect our performance in the game, I do not think.
“We are looking forward to this weekend. Obviously, Wales put in a strong performance against England, scoring four tries. We are hoping to get a really good result this weekend. I guess our target now is to finish third and win these next two games.”
Exeter Chiefs Women’s assistant coach Oli Bishop said: “I think Cli has had a great Six Nations so far. The big things we know we get every game with Cli is a solid set-piece, whether that be with her lineout throws or her scrummaging work.
“We also know we get huge amount of work-rate around that physicality. We see hard ball carries, as well as great clean-outs and, defensively, we know she is a big hitter. She is also a breakdown menace, whether that is getting in there to slow down ball or getting in for jackals and turnovers.
“What we are seeing this year is a huge amount consistency of great performance from Cli, which has earned her the staring shirt for Ireland throughout their campaign so far.”
Italy
15 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 47 caps)
14 Aura Muzzo (LOU Rugby, 61 caps)
13 Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 96 caps)
12 Sara Mannini (Rugby Colorno, 15 caps)
11Alyssa D'Incà (Blagnac Rugby, 38 caps)
10 Veronica Madio (Blagnac Rugby, 63 caps)
9 Sofia Stefan (RCTPM Toulon, 104 caps)
1 Silvia Turani (Harlequins, 50 caps)
2 Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 44 caps)
3 Vittoria Zanette (LOU Rugby, 5 caps)
4 Valeria Fedrighi (Rugby Colorno, 70 caps)
5 Alessandra Frangipani (Villorba Rugby, 14 caps)
6 Beatrice Veronse (RCTPM Toulon, 33 caps)
7 Alissa Ranuccini (LOU Rugby, 21 caps)
8 Elisa Giordana (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 81 caps) (c)
Replacements:
16 Chiara Cheli (Rugby Colorno, 3 caps)
17 Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 45 caps)
18 Gaia Dosi (Rugby Colorno, Esordiente)
19 Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 63 caps)
20 Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Clermont, 40 caps)
21 Alia Bitonci (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 13 caps)
22 Emma Stevanin (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 30 caps)
23 Francesca Granzotto(Exeter Chiefs Women, 26 caps)
Scotland
15 Chloe Rollie (Toulon Provence Méditerranée, 84 caps)
14 Rhona Lloyd (Sale Sharks Women, 64 caps)
13 Rachel Phillips (Sale Sharks Women, 2 caps)
12 Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears Women, 25 caps)
11 Francesca McGhie (Trailfinders Women, 28 caps)
10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning, 78 caps) (c)
9 Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning, 18 caps)
1 Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks Women, 52 caps)
2 Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning, 29 caps)
3 Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears Women, 27 caps)
4 Emma Wassell (Trailfinders Women, 76 caps) (vc)
5 Louise McMillan (Saracens Women, 59 caps)
6 Holland Bogan (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County, 3 caps)
7 Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks Women, 24 caps)
8 Becky Boyd (Loughborough Lightning, 4 caps)
Replacements:
16. Aicha Sutcliffe (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County, uncapped)
17 Demi Swann (Exeter Chiefs Women, 3 caps)
18 Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian FC, 10 caps)
19 Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears Women, 5 caps)
20 Emily Coubrough (Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh, 2 caps)
21 Rhea Clarke (Bristol Bears Women, 2 caps)
22 Lucia Scott (Loughborough Lightning, 10 caps)
23 Shona Campbell (Sale Sharks Women, 12 caps)
Ireland
15 Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster, 27 caps)
14 Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht, 34 caps)
13 Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 31 caps)
12 Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster, 35 caps)
11 Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 2 caps)
10 Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 33 caps)
9 Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster, 23 caps)
1 Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby, 7 caps)
2 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs Women, 52 caps)
3 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 55 caps)
4 Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs Women, 40 caps)
5 Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster, 23 caps)
6 Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks Women, 41 caps)
7 Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 10 caps) (c)
8 Aoife Wafer (Harlequins Women, 19 caps)
Replacements:
16 Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury, 43 caps)
17 Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster, 20 caps)
18 Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster, 2 caps)
19 Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 15 caps)
20 Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby, 29 caps)
21 Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby, 27 caps)
22 Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster, 3 caps)
23 Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby*)
* denotes uncapped
Written By:
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club
