England’s women’s rugby side, known as the Red Roses, delivered a spectacular performance at Ashton Gate, overwhelming Wales with a ten‑try onslaught that secured a 62‑24 victory in the Women’s Six Nations. The match showcased the depth and talent of the English squad, with several players crossing the line multiple times and a host of newcomers making an immediate impact. From the opening minutes, England set the tone.
Within six minutes, debutant Maddie Feaunati broke through the Welsh defense and sprinted into the 22‑meter area, grounding the ball for the first try of the afternoon. Helena Rowland promptly added the conversion, putting the hosts ahead and signalling the start of a relentless attack. Just moments later, Millie David, another fresh face, collected a long pass from Holly Aitchison and raced down the wing to score her own try. Although David’s day was cut short after she failed a head‑injury assessment, her early contribution underscored England’s attacking depth.
Wales responded swiftly. Scrum‑half Keira Bevan snatched a loose ball from a ruck, exploited a gap and powered over for a try, then converted her own effort to narrow the deficit to 12‑7. The Welsh side showed resilience, but England’s flanker Marlie Packer soon added another try, followed by centre Meg Jones, who displayed a brilliant solo run that secured the bonus‑point try.
Rowland’s conversion from the touchline was successful, and Wales managed a further try from hooker Jones after a well‑executed line‑out. By halftime, the Red Roses had built a comfortable 29‑12 lead. The second half continued in the same vein.
Hooker Amy Cokayne broke away from a rolling maul to touch down, with Rowland adding the two points from the conversion. Shortly after, Wales suffered a setback when full‑back Kayleigh Powell received a yellow card for a deliberate knock‑on, reducing their defensive options. England capitalised on the numerical advantage.
Claudia Moloney‑MacDonald finished a sweeping move in the corner, and Jess Breach, coming off the bench, added the eighth try, converted by replacement Zoe Harrison. The English side kept the pressure relentless, with Marlie Packer and Maud Muir each adding tries on either side of a Welsh flanker’s score.
Harrison’s accurate boot turned all of those into points, extending the tally to ten tries. In the closing stages, Wales’ Seren Lockwood managed to cross for a consolation try, securing a bonus point for the visitors, but the final whistle confirmed England’s dominance with a 62‑24 scoreboard. Marlie Packer was named player of the match.
In her interview with the BBC she praised her teammates and the atmosphere: “We’re really pleased. Wales gave us a tough game and have improved massively.
Our young squad stepped up and I’m proud of the girls’ performance. Wearing this shirt is an honour, and playing in front of a packed Ashton Gate crowd is incredible. Selling out stadiums means everything to us – we want to give fans a great show and we love being part of the Red Roses environment.” Wales head coach Sean Lynn reflected on the result, emphasizing character: “That’s what I asked for today – character. A year ago we might have collapsed, but the girls fought back, scored two tries and earned a bonus point.
We’re disappointed to have let in 62 points, but England were clinical.” The match was part of a broader narrative in the 2026 Women’s Six Nations. While England continued their unbeaten run, the tournament’s focus shifted to a showdown between traditional powerhouses.
In France, Les Bleues delivered a disciplined 26‑7 victory over Ireland, demonstrating the efficiency required at test level. Ireland, despite moments of brilliance and a strong first‑half performance led by Aoife Wafer, were undone by missed opportunities and a shaky kicking game, ultimately finishing the day with a disappointing loss. Further action in the championship saw Italy dominate Scotland 41‑14 at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
The Azzurre celebrated the 50th cap of veteran prop Silvia Turani with a display of precise, high‑tempo rugby that left the Scottish side struggling. Scotland, hampered by the late withdrawal of captain Rachel Malcolm and a spate of injuries, could not match Italy’s ambition and accuracy. Overall, the England‑Wales clash highlighted the Red Roses’ attacking prowess, depth of talent, and the growing popularity of women’s rugby.
The ten‑try performance not only secured a third straight win in the tournament but also reinforced England’s position at the top of the Six Nations table, setting the stage for an exciting finale as the competition heads toward its decisive matches later in the season.