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England player ratings vs Wales | 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations
By Liam Heagney
England player ratings live from Ashton Gate: John Mitchell’s England made it two wins from two in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations with an eight-try, 46-10 win over Wales in Bristol in front of a vibrant attendance of 19,705, a record for a non-Twickenham home game.
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After an error-hit opening where their infringing scrum eventually resulted in them going three early points behind, the defending champions hit back to score three tries in a hard-fought 18-minute spell, and the opening half then finished with them bagging the four-try bonus point in the second minute of added time.
This 24-3 interval scoreline was harsh on Wales who spent plenty of time threatening in the English 22, but Marlie Packer and co were too streetwise when defending their line.
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The English then started the second half like an express, sprinting the scoreboard to 34-3 before conceding and then ratcheting it up again to have their eighth try scored by the 62nd minute and declaring their innings.
England won’t be pleased with their first-half handling errors, but their overall display had more satisfaction than last Sunday’s seven-try, 48-0 win in Italy.
True, England were hampered by Sarah Beckett’s early red card six days ago, but there was a general lack of accuracy in their attack and they only made it to the break in Parma 10 points clear before finally getting a run on the Italians.
Here, with an XV showing seven changes and containing entirely fresh half-back and midfield combinations, there was much more poise about what they created and this ingenuity served them well.
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Their inaccuracy off the kicking tee, though, is an issue that will need reviewing as just three of their eight tries were converted (the wind shouldn’t be an excuse). Their general lack of bench impact will also merit discussion. Here are the England player ratings:
15. Ellie Kildunne – 7
Very busy but sometimes too busy in the sense that her frantic style of play lacked complete polish and precision. In at the corner, though, for her team’s fifth try on 43 and brilliantly got there again 19 minutes later.
14. Abby Dow – 7.5
Brought the wow factor at just the right moment in the opening salvo, making a terrific break to create the opening try. Then scored herself early in the second.
13. Megan Jones – 7.5
The Cardiff-born Welsh speaker importantly came alive when the match was there to be won in the opening half, making some momentum-shifting breaks including the one from her 22 to ignite the move for Hannah Botterman’s 24th-minute try. Liked a dominant tackle as well.
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12. Tatyana Heard – 7
Another called up to improve the midfield, she began with the cheap spill that cost penalty points at the resulting scrum. However, she settled after that to enjoy a useful 64-minute appearance.
11. Jess Breach – 5.5
The quietest of the England backs, this was a match played out away from her area and she exited on the hour.
10. Holly Aitchison – 7
Can’t be happy with her inaccuracy off the kicking tee, but she was good in getting the England attack moving better than in Italy. Her best moment was in defence, though, her classy intercept when rushing off her try line frustrating Wales when the result was still in the balance in the opening half.
What … A … Finish 🤩@elliekildunne 👏👏👏#GuinnessW6N #ENGWAL pic.twitter.com/vMOPDVFfLJ
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 30, 2024
9. Natasha Hunt – 7
Mixed some good with some not-so-good. An example was the quick penalty tap in her half in the first half, which was a smart play, but it ended with a shanked kick on halfway that went out on the full. She was also unusually penalised by the referee for not adhering to a ‘use it now’ call. Stuck at it, though.
1. Hannah Botterman – 8
Broke the half-hour stalemate in Parma and while she would have kicked herself at being at fault for the scrum penalty that gave Wales early points here, she was otherwise excellent. Constantly hungry to carry in her 63 minutes, her reward was her team’s third try.
2. Lark Atkin-Davies – 6
Another who had an up and down time of it. Gave away two first-half penalties in quick succession, pinning her team back on the defence at 12-3. However, her one-half contribution, ended by a HIA, finished on the high of scoring the bonus try off a lineout maul in added time.
3. Maud Muir – 7.5
Should be chuffed with what she did. Scored the try that got England into the lead they never lost and her work rate was impressive in her 53 minutes, particularly when coming around the corner to offer a carry option. Her tackling was also a positive, with some power scrummaging as well.
4. Zoe Aldcroft – 7.5
A 50th cap for the 2021 World Rugby player of the year, she shrugged off an early error to help decisively wield momentum in her 59 minutes. Scored England’s second try on 15 minutes and led the first-half tackle count.
5. Rosie Galligan – 8.5
The fit-again lock was voted player of the match. The Welsh lineout she stole on 18 minutes epitomized her wily impact.
6. Sadia Kabeya – 7.5
The joint least capped player with Galligan in this very experienced XV, her 15th appearance saw her get on the ball regularly when England needed to get motoring in the tricky opening half. One of the few players to finish out the game well.
7. Marlie Packer – 8.5
After all the rightful fuss over her centurion appearance last weekend, she was cheered off here on 59 minutes after an excellent display where her defence was a real thorn to Wales. Just look at that crafty first-half intervention for the spill that ended a concerted opposition attack in the 22, giving England possession to go the length and score their third.
8. Alex Matthews – 8
Promoted from the bench following Beckett’s suspension, she more than merited her place as his tackle count was exceptional in putting a full stop to Welsh resistance.
A try on your 50th cap 😎@zoealdcroft_ is over the line for @RedRosesRugby 🌹#GuinnessW6N #ENGWAL pic.twitter.com/3cG0o6OQql
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 30, 2024
Replacements:
16. Connie Powell – 7
Played the entire second half and quickly got stuck into it, beginning with the break that built the pressure for her team’s emphatic opening.
17. Mackenzie Carson – 5
Given the closing 17 minutes, but England’s performance petered out.
18. Kelsey Clifford – 5.5
Arrived in the 53rd minute with the score at 34-3 to experience a lung-bursting 10 minutes where there were tries scored at either end but that was it.
19. Abbie Ward –5.5
Would have hoped to have helped England to better close out the game in the final 21 minutes, but there was just one try in all that time from her team.
20. Maddie Feaunati – 5.5
Ditto Ward.
21. Lucy Packer – 5
The stage was set for fresh legs to dominate the dying embers but England lacked accuracy in her 16 minutes.
22. Zoe Harrison – 5
See Packer.
23. Sydney Gregson – 5.5
Another whose bench cameo didn’t amount to much as the game was done and dusted when she was seen on the hour.
Although I may not agree with all the ratings I think the article does justify the scores with what was seen in the game. I was surprised, however, that even though Breach didn’t see much of the ball she did have an excellent assist for Dow’s try and it wasn’t mentioned. Would like to see this as a regular feature and ratings for other nations
Whoever came up with these ratings didn’t watch the game.