England's Jones and Bern Identify Areas for Improvement Following Convincing Win
England's Megan Jones and Sarah Bern conceded that there is still room for improvement, despite their team's dominant 33-12 victory over Ireland in the Women's Six Nations tournament. The win marked England's 34th consecutive Test victory, with Bern scoring two tries and Amy Cockayne, Jess Breach, and Ellie Kildunne each scoring one. Although England secured a bonus-point win in front of a record-breaking crowd of 77,120 at Allianz Stadium, Jones acknowledged that the team did not perform at its best. 'I think there were always going to be nerves at the start of a major campaign, especially after the success of the World Cup,' Jones said. 'We were eager to play in front of large crowds, and we achieved that today. We found a way to win, which is what winning teams do. I'm sure we'll refine our performance, but I'm incredibly proud of the team.' 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 noted that the team's new lineup, featuring several young players, was always unlikely to gel immediately. 'We have a new combination of players, and we're introducing a lot of young talent. We knew it wouldn't be perfect, and we didn't expect it to be,' Bern said. 'There were aspects of our game that we're really pleased with, and others that we'll definitely review. However, the atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic, and that always helps us push through to the finish line.'