England opened their Women's Six Nations campaign with a 33-12 victory over Ireland at Twickenham, extending their unbeaten run to 34 matches. The hosts scored five tries but produced a disjointed performance, while Ireland showed signs of improvement in front of a record crowd of 77,120.
England captain Meg Jones, named player of the match, acknowledged the team's rustiness. 'There were always going to be nerves after the back of a World Cup. We found ways, that's what winning teams do,' she said. 'We have huge growth potential. Players have stepped into leadership roles.'
Ireland scored two tries, the first time they have managed that against England since 2013. Coach Scott Bemand saw progress: 'There was evidence in the first half where we were in control but gave it away. We've got to learn to go deeper in the attack sets. At some point people are going to realise that we have fire power.'
The match saw a record attendance for the Women's Six Nations, with 77,120 fans packing Twickenham. England's next fixture is away to Scotland, where they will aim to tighten up their performance as they chase another title.
