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England 33-12 Ireland: Back at the scene of their World Cup triumph, the Red Roses opened their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a scratchy win
Harry Latham-Coyle at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Saturday 11 April 2026 17:43 BST- Bookmark
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open image in galleryEllie Kildunne knocked on while attempting to ground on a day of missed chances for England (Getty Images)
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intoThe time will surely come for the Women’s Six Nations to deliver more compelling and consequential contests but, for now, Twickenham seems content to bask in the Red Roses’ glory. 196 days on from Rugby World Cup glory, England were back at a scene of triumph that they are increasingly making their own; the crowd may have been ever-so-slightly smaller, and the stakes rather more considerably so, but here was another occasion to illustrate how far the game has come – and how far it might still have to go.
The attendance of 77,120 was a record for any fixture in this championship, an increase of almost a third on the previous mark set here three years ago against France. That was a barmy, balmy April afternoon that swung this way and that; there was not that sort of jeopardy or, in truth, quality here, with Ireland dropping the opening kick off and unable to stay with an error-prone, erratic England thereafter.
open image in gallerySarah Bern scored twice for England in their win over Ireland to open the Women's Six Nations (Action Images via Reuters)The seven-time defending champions do not often have to be at their best to win in this competition, and were not anywhere close here. But the close-to-capacity crowd did not seem to care much at all, tossing cowboy hats this way and that as they carried on the festival feel that had accompanied John Mitchell’s side throughout their successful World Cup campaign. Each Ellie Kildunne touch came with an approving squeal of excitement that reached fever pitch when the full-back ran in England’s fifth and final try.
The swelling profiles of the squad were marked appropriately pre-match with a stadium-high tifo sporting some of England’s most famous faces alongside those who had come before. The performance which followed was not quite as impressive a construction. It is eight years since the Red Roses were beaten in this competition, and we will probably not know quite how good this iteration is until they go to Bordeaux to face France in the tournament’s final fixture. It goes without saying, though, that they remain some way ahead of the rest, 33 successive wins becoming 34 even in the absence of pregnant captain Zoe Stratford and several other regular starters.
open image in gallery(Action Images via Reuters)“It was outstanding to have the sort of support we love to have as a Red Roses team. I think we showed some amazing areas,” new England skipper Meg Jones said. “I think we were really optimistic about how we were trying to play, and sometimes it just doesn’t go the way we planned. I’m really proud of the girls – we’ll keep building on that with some quick fixes."
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Perhaps naturally, the home side looked like a team that had not played together in months. It was Amy Cokayne, newly installed as a vice-captain to stand-in skipper Jones, that got England going, converting from the back of an unstoppable maul – a new era this may be for the Red Roses, but their traditional super-strengths remain. England had promised an attacking expansion after leaning on a more limited gameplan to secure the trophy, and it game with some bumps and clunks – two cross-kicks evaded their intended recipients as the hosts wasted opportunities before prop Sarah Bern finally clattered under the posts.
The tighthead soon had a second, gratefully and gleefully accepting a gilded gift of an offload from Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. Ireland had battled hard, with Aoife Wafer and Erin King busy at the breakdown, but offered little in the way of thrust and threat. That ensured that a profligate England were not made to pay as chances came and went, Kildunne the guiltiest party for a complacent attempted grounding as a desperate tackle from Vicky Elmes Kinlan forced a knock-on.
open image in galleryEllie Kildunne was brilliant denied by Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Action Images via Reuters)Certainly, the next step for Ireland and their like must be finding ways of getting their game on the park against England. Too many of the Red Roses’ poor choices (and there were plenty to choose from) were backed up by Irish errors of hand or discipline, preventing Scott Bemand’s side from too much of a foothold. It is worth noting, though, that they conceded 88 points on their last trip to Twickenham; the chasm is closing.
But England’s strength in depth stands above all others right now. Which may be a good job: Morwenna Talling was carted off here with a suspected tournament-ending injury and may join the pregnant trio Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan in missing the rest of the campaign. Lilli Ives Campion and debutant Haineala Lutui, just 19 but tipped for big things, will have huge roles to play in the second row.
open image in galleryMorwenna Talling suffered an injury for England (Getty Images)It is a great shame for Talling, such a force in the World Cup win, but another chance for England to deal with the sort of adversity they do not encounter regularly enough. The bonus point only arrived here in the 55th minute courtesy of a Jess Breach score from a Jones kick through in broken play. Soon after, off went Natasha Hunt with another serious injury – “they’ll be out for a long-term, unfortunately,” Mitchell said of her and Talling – which forced Moloney-MacDonald in to scrum half; she was beaten by a writhing Anna McGann as a spirited Ireland ensured they avoided a nought. Captain King scored another consolation to cap a combative performance, though more telling tests for her side are to come.
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