Women’s Six Nations 2023: England 68-5 Italy – Abby Dow scores four tries in emphatic win

England continued their dominant start to the Women’s Six Nations with a 12-try victory against Italy at Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens.

Italy showed progress as Sara Tounesi scored early on – their first try against England since 2018.

But the Red Roses’ professionalism told as they put more than 50 on their opponents for the second week in a row.

England, who beat Scotland 58-7 last weekend, have been professional since 2019, whereas Italy got contracts in 2022.

The Red Roses are seeking a fifth successive Six Nations title and are on a record winning run in the competition of 21 matches.

Bern and Aitchison run the England show

England are missing 19 players – largely through injury – but the gulf in professionalism between them and their opponents is so wide it did not matter.

Wing Breach made it over after just two minutes, before Tounesi responded immediately.

Fly-half Holly Aitchison and prop Sarah Bern were two stars for England.

Aitchison continued to settle into the 10 shirt vacated by an injured Zoe Harrison, distributing well, gaining territory with kicks and booting the ball cross-field to Breach, who fed Dow for England’s second try.

The Red Roses continued to put on a show at a sunny and packed Franklin’s Gardens. Claudia MacDonald made amends for an earlier knock-on and dropped ball with a stunning break from outside Italy’s 22 to score.

The scrum was one area where England did not initially dominate as they had in their win against Scotland as the absence of key players showed.

But player of the match Bern made up for that in open play. The prop was at her rampaging best, seemingly confused about whether she was a forward or a back as she was repeatedly deployed on the wing, and her line break helped MacDonald over for a second try.

England were not at their free-flowing best, but Italy’s defence was at times so narrow that it was not a problem and Breach made it over for her second score before the break.

Dow and Breach hammer home England dominance

It was hoped that Wales – two years into professionalism – would provide more competition for England in round three.

Wales’ closely-fought 34-22 win against Scotland on Saturday suggests otherwise. Red Roses fans will instead have to wait for the final-round Twickenham showdown against France, for which more than 42,000 tickets have already been sold.

Italy flanker Giada Franco tried to show some resistance against England, but her team did not have the level to convert the opportunities she created.

Instead, centre Tatyana Heard went over under the posts for the hosts.

After narrowly missing out on completing a hat-trick earlier, MacDonald left the field in tears with what looked like an ankle injury in the 29th minute.

Instead, it was Dow who made headlines. Just under a year after breaking her leg in a Six Nations game, Dow showed incredible pace and power as she dashed down the left wing to score two in a row.

Then Breach completed her hat-trick, before new captain Marlie Packer got her name on the scoresheet in a maul.

There was time for one more each for Dow and Packer to the delight of the home crowd.

One area of concern in an otherwise superb performance is England’s goal-kicking.

The Red Roses’ four best kickers injured and head coach Simon Middleton tried out three different players in the role.

Aitchison made one of her five attempts, Tuima was one from one and replacement Emma Sing converted two of her five.

Player of the match – Sarah Bern

Line-ups

England: Dow; Breach, Tuima, Heard, MacDonald; Aitchison, L Packer; Carson, Cokayne, Bern, O’Donnell, Burns, Kabeya, M Packer (capt), Aldcroft.

Replacements: Davies, Crake, Clifford, Beckett, Robinson, Wyrwas, McKenna, Sing.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, Stefan; Madia, Barattin; Maris, Vecchini, Gai, Tounesi, Duca, Sgorbini, Franco, Giordano (capt).

Replacements: Stecca, Cassaghi, Seye, Fedrighi, Locatelli, Stevanin, Busato, Capomaggi.