England's Jones and Bern Identify Areas for Improvement After Convincing Win

Megan Jones and Sarah Bern conceded that England still have room for growth, despite kicking off their Women's Six Nations campaign with a resounding 33-12 victory over Ireland. In their first match since claiming the World Cup title by defeating Canada in September, England secured their 34th consecutive Test win, thanks to two tries from Bern and one each from Amy Cockayne, Jess Breach, and Ellie Kildunne. Although they achieved a bonus-point win in front of a record-breaking crowd of 77,120 at Allianz Stadium, Jones acknowledged that the team's performance was not flawless. 'Given the nerves that naturally come with starting a major campaign on the heels of a phenomenal World Cup, I think we did well to find our footing,' Jones told the BBC. 'Playing in front of large crowds is what we wanted, and that's exactly what we got today. We managed to grind out a win, which is a hallmark of a successful team. I'm sure we'll refine our performance, but I'm incredibly proud of the girls.' Jones led the team for the first time, filling in for World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford, who is currently pregnant with her first child. Bern also recognized that the revamped team, featuring only seven players from the World Cup final, would take time to gel. 'With a new set of players and a significant number of young athletes on board, we knew we wouldn't be perfect from the outset,' Bern said. 'There were aspects of our game that we were thrilled about, and others that we'll definitely review. However, the electric atmosphere in the stadium was a huge factor in helping us secure the win.'