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

England's Megan Jones and Sarah Bern acknowledged that their team has room for growth, despite kicking off their Women's Six Nations campaign with a decisive 33-12 victory over Ireland. The world champions, who last played in September's World Cup final against Canada, secured their 34th consecutive Test win with tries from Bern, 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 recognized that the team's performance was not flawless. 'There were naturally some nerves at the start of this major campaign, following our incredible World Cup win,' Jones noted in an interview with the BBC. 'We aimed to play in front of large crowds, and that's exactly what we did today. We found our footing, which is what winning teams do. I'm sure we'll refine our performance, but I'm extremely proud of the girls.' As the team's new captain, Jones led the side for the first time, taking over from World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford, who is currently pregnant with her first child. Jones reflected on her experience, saying, 'I'll probably take some time to think about it tonight. Walking out of the tunnel was amazing, with everyone cheering and singing the anthem.' With only seven players returning from England's World Cup final win at Twickenham last autumn, Bern recognized that the new-look team would take time to gel. 'We have a new mix of players, with many young athletes on board. We knew it wouldn't be perfect, and we didn't expect it to be,' Bern said. 'There were some aspects that we're really pleased about, and others that we'll definitely review. However, the atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic, and that always helps us cross the finish line.'