England demolish Italy in winning start to Women’s Six Nations campaign | Women’s Six Nations

No one expected it to be easy for Italy. No one expected it to be anything other than straightforward for England. The Red Roses achieved an overwhelming six-try victory in kicking off their attempt at a seventh successive title but, after four scores and one penalty try before the break, they then stuttered significantly and were forced to wait until two minutes from time for a second-half score.

England’s hot streak now stretches to 21 consecutive matches, dating back to the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in 2022, but there was ultimately a lack of fluency here that may concern the head coach, John Mitchell.

Speaking of World Cups, England are building for what promises to be a special year. In 152 days, Mitchell’s side will start a home tournament against the US at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. It is inconceivable that they could suffer the same fate of the men’s team of a decade ago, when Stuart Lancaster’s side failed to make it out of their pool. But Mitchell’s side are sure to be tested in the later stages, so this Six Nations will be about refining combinations and systems.

After an uncertain start, Italy competed far better in the second half, while England’s accuracy was not what they would have hoped.

On the long list of things you would rather avoid early on against England, a knock-on in your own 22 would be near the top of the list. But that is what Italy contrived when Beatrice Rigoni threw an errant pass and put her teammates under intense pressure. From the resulting position Mia Venner, on full debut, made a dart down the right, then popped up in space on the opposite flank to touch down. The full-back Emma Sing converted.

A couple of minutes later Venner was sprinting into space down the England right again – she was brought down by an excellent tap tackle by Vittoria Minuzzi. But the damage was done and the England outside-centre Emily Scarratt had a straightforward job to barge over for the second try. Sing, again, struck the right note from the tee.

Italy’s lineout was misfiring, which hardly helped, although they did succeed in arresting England’s progress until the midway point of the first half when a poor pass by Sofia Stefan, the Azzurre captain, intended for Francesca Granzotto bounced into touch. It was Rosie Galligan that touched down off an attacking lineout. It needed a long check to establish the ball had been knocked on but the Italy hooker Laura Gurioli was off to the sin-bin for coming in at the side.

How long would it take England to secure a try bonus point? The answer was 28 minutes. Holly Aitchison pumped an excellent cross-kick high to the left where Claudia MacDonald, fit again and winning her first England cap since 2023, snaffled the catch and scurried around the defensive cover to touch down.

Scrum-caps off to Italy, though, they refused to buckle, and on their first visit to England’s 22, they constructed an impressively cohesive pushover score for the No 8, Francesca Sgorbini, on 34 minutes. The inside-centre Rigoni scuffed her conversion attempt wide, but that did nothing to wipe the smile off the face of the Italian coach, Fabio Roselli.

Amy Cokayne added a fifth try, including the penalty, before half-time but the visitors began the second half impressively. Sgorbini was denied a second try after touching down after a lineout drive, for an obstruction in the lineout by Beatrice Veronese. The handling clumsiness and general malaise of Italy’s first half had disappeared. In response to the Azzure enjoying much more of the ball, Mitchell began to unload his bench, and the appearance of Hannah Botterman and Sarah Bern off the bench was ominous for the visitors.

With a quarter of an hour to go, England had still not added to their first-half points tally, the game was scrappy and the crowd were considering a second Mexican wave of the afternoon.

The introduction of the Yorkshire-born Ellie Kildunne, the women’s world player of the year in 2024, visibly lifted the crowd. Jade Shekells and Flo Robinson were also off the bench for their debuts and a couple of minutes after Kildunne’s introduction, Bern crashed down the middle, earning the right for Sadia Kabeya to touch down. Not so fast: the television match official pulled it back for a forward pass.

Sing did finally succeed in adding to the score, two minutes from time, and the crowd went home happy. Job done and a victory to kick off a crucial year. But Mitchell and his squad would have hoped for more after such a dominant first half.