Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

In the final game of last season's Women's Six Nations, Ireland scored in the last seconds to deny Scotland a victory they desperately craved. Four defeats out of four became five out of five, which meant a place at the foot of the table, cut adrift from the rest.

To the Scots, there was a weary familiarity about it all. They lost by a point to the Irish that day, by seven to the Italians, by five to the Welsh. At the World Cup in New Zealand, Wales beat them by three points and Australia by two. In a pre-World Cup game the USA beat them by four points. Yes, they have lost nine Tests on the spin, but there's a whole lot of nuance in there.

In the build-up to the Six Nations, with a newly professional Scotland able to dedicate more of themselves to training than ever before, they have taken steps to address those narrow losses.

Read more here.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Kingston Park

I can very faintly hear bagpipes, coming - I think - from a corner of the West Stand.

Bringing the Red Roses to Newcastle has made things a bit easier for travelling Scotland fans.

BBC Two

England head coach Simon Middleton on BBC Two:

On his final Six Nations before standing down: "I have made my decision and am really happy about having another Six Nations. We have a lot of new faces, have had a great three weeks training them and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do now.

On his hopes for this year: "I want to see evolution, we have worked on a few things but more than anything we want the girls to go out and make a statement. Some of them have waited a long time to do themselves justice.

On Sarah Hunter's final game: "Sarah has given everything to England and has been the very best version of herself and that makes her quite a unique person. There couldn't be a better stage for her."

Talking of Simon Middleton, let's hear from the England head coach now...

Maggie Alphonsi
2014 England World Cup winner on BBC Two

I assumed there would have been a new coach going into this Six Nations but Simon Middleton gives this team consistency with players out injured or unavailable,

England have missed an opportunity because you want a new coach to come in and try out new players and new systems, but Middleton will lay a foundation for the next coach who hopefully will be announced soon.

Image source, Getty Images

Becky Grey
BBC Sport

So many women's rugby records have fallen in the past year, it can be hard to keep up.

In the 2022 Women's Six Nations, England played to a record home crowd of 14,689 one week, then surpassed that when 15,836 turned up the next.

Later that year, 42,759 were present to see New Zealand win the World Cup final against England.

That is the current world record attendance for a women's game but the mark could be beaten before the 2023 Women's Six Nations is over.

As the development of women's rugby gathers pace, BBC Sport looks at why the sport is booming here.

Image source, Getty Images

Vice-captain Helen Nelson believes Scotland can spring a major surprise and beat England in their opening match of the Six Nations.

World Cup runners-up England are aiming for a fifth title in a row, while Scotland lost all of their matches in last year's tournament.

England have scored 40 tries in their last four meetings with Scotland.

"We love playing against England and we love the fact we are underdogs," said fly-half Nelson.

"We'll take that and put in a good performance on Saturday."

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Much of the talk around the 2023 Women's Six Nations has centred on 'the gap'.

Professional sides England and France have dominated the tournament for the past seven years.

Now that the other four teams have widespread player contracts too, there is hope they can catch up.

But hope is unlikely to be enough for Scotland when they open their tournament against England in Newcastle on Saturday.

In the history of the fixture, Scotland have only beaten England twice in 31 attempts - the last time in 1999.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a reminder of how the teams will line-up, just in case you missed it in the week...

England: Dow; Breach, Tuima, Reed, MacDonald; Aitchison, Packer; Carson, Cokayne, Bern, Aldcroft, P Cleall, Kabeya, Packer (co-capt), Hunter (co-capt).

Replacements: Davies, Crake, Clifford, O'Donnell, Beckett, Wyrwas, Heard, Sing.

Scotland: Rollie; Grant, Orr, Smith, McGhie; Nelson, Caity Mattinson; Bartlett, Skeldon, Belisle, O'Donnell, McMillan, Malcolm, McLachlan, Gallagher.

Replacements: Rettie, Young, Clarke, Donaldson, Sinclair, McDonald, Blacklock, Musgrove.

Former Canada prop Mackenzie Carson will make her England debut against Scotland in the Women's Six Nations on Saturday.

The 24-year-old qualifies for England through her mother and switched countries through World Rugby's birth-right transfer rules.

Sarah Hunter will co-captain England in her final match before retirement at Newcastle's sold-out Kingston Park.

Meanwhile, Francesca McGhie will make her debut on the left wing for Scotland and Coreen Grant has been given her first start on the opposite flank.

Meryl Smith and Emma Orr form the centre partnership, with just 10 caps between them.

Image source, Getty Images

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Kingston Park

There was a time when Sarah Hunter sold matchday programmes at Kingston Park.

Now, she's on the front of them.

It is all about the England captain today as she plays her 141st and final game in her home city.

Hunter's nine-year-old niece Isabella is a mascot today and I'm expecting enough tears to fill the River Tyne from all around the ground as the England legend hangs up her boots.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sarah Hunter will want to go out on a high...

Image source, Getty Images

The England co-captain will bring the curtain down on a glittering career against Scotland in her hometown of Newcastle.

But the visitors will want to spoil the party...

Image source, Getty Images

Kick-off in Newcastle as both sides get their Six Nations campaigns up and running is just 45 minutes away...