Defending champions England started their quest for a seventh successive Guinness Women’s Six Nations crown with a routine victory, while there were also wins for France and Scotland in round one.
The scoreline wasn’t quite as one-sided as the Red Roses might have expected against a defensively dogged Italy side, but John Mitchell’s charges nevertheless ran out as 38-5 winners to start their Six Nations campaign. Here’s RugbyPass’ take on how well every player performed.
At a sold out LNER Community Stadium in York, England opened their Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign with a 38-5 win against Italy in their 30th consecutive win in the competition.
England will be without Alex Matthews for at least the first two rounds of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations after the Gloucester-Hartpury back row was banned for three matches.
Mia Venner will make her full England debut against Italy in York on Sunday, five years after she won her first cap, as a replacement against Wales.
A lot has changed in the five years since Mia Venner won her one and so far, only England cap but at 22 she could still have a long Test career ahead of her.
Four uncapped players have been retained in England's final squad for the Guinness Women's Six Nations, which gets underway for the defending champions against Italy in York on Sunday.
England head coach John Mitchell has included six uncapped players for the squad’s latest Women’s Six Nations training camp, four of whom have been called up for the first time.
Sarah McKenna has received her first England call-up under John Mitchell as part of a training squad that contains eight uncapped players.
If there was a blot on Steph Else’s pristine 2023-24 copybook, then it came on a chastening April evening in Rouen. She is confident England can gain revenge when they meet France in Parma on Sunday.