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

Megan Jones and Sarah Bern acknowledged that England have room for growth despite kicking off their Women's Six Nations campaign with a decisive 33-12 victory over Ireland. The world champions' first match since their World Cup win in September saw them extend their unbeaten run to 34 Tests, with tries from Bern, Amy Cockayne, Jess Breach, and Ellie Kildunne securing a bonus-point win in front of a record-breaking crowd of 77,120 at Allianz Stadium. Jones, who led the team for the first time in the absence of World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford, noted that while England got the job done, they were not at their peak. 'There were naturally going to be nerves at the start of a major campaign following a successful World Cup,' Jones said. 'We aimed to perform in front of large crowds, and that's exactly what we did today. We found our rhythm, which is what winning teams do. I'm sure we'll refine our performance, but I'm incredibly proud of the team.' Bern also recognized that with a new-look side, including several young players, England were unlikely to be flawless from the outset. 'With a new combination of players and a lot of youngsters, we knew it wouldn't be perfect, and we didn't expect it to be,' Bern said. 'There were aspects we were thrilled about and others we'll definitely reflect on. However, the electric atmosphere in the stadium was a huge factor in helping us secure the win.'