World Rugby Player of the Year Ellie Kirdinne scored an eight-minute hat-trick as they dismantled Wales in a 67-12 victory at Cardiff’s Princely Stadium on Saturday.
England’s latest command of six nations – their 31st in a row – hopes to get seven consecutive championships on track following the top of the table two matches after.
But after British fly half Zoe Harrison knocked on in her own try area and urged a 5 metre scrum, it was Wales, but Wales. Robbed into record crowds for a Welsh team event in Wales (21,186), the hosts pushed the English scrum back before Georgia Evans was peeled off and Jenni Scoble brought an attack on Whitewash before Jenni Scoble jumped in.
However, England responded quickly as the first Maddie Funaty, with Meg Jones avoiding Wales’ defense before landing.
Five minutes later, some fast hands from Feaunati under the post bypassed two red shirts and allowed Prop Sarah Bern to score his 24th Test Try.
Abby Dow thought she had taken England fourth, but her attempt was choked after Kildun’s pass advanced. It proved to be a temporary reprieve for Wales as Faunati added a second attempt and secured England’s bonus points following a random defence.
Kildunne won his 50th cap in a 48-minute try after being discovered in wide space via a wide pass from Harrison. The fly half scored again in the 54th minute and completed a hat trick in an eye-catching attempt awarded after a review from TMO.
The 25-year-old has been directly involved in 26 attempts in his final 15 starts in England (20 attempts, six assists).
Two-time Olympian Abi Burton made his debut as he came off the bench to close out England’s emotional debut. She spent 25 days in induced coma in 2022 after being diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, a condition in which the body’s immune system accidentally attacks the brain, and was cut off after an initial misdiagnosis. She also ceased two pneumonia in the hospital over three months, weighing over three koku.
After the Dow attempted to be rejected in a Mazzy run in the first half, Burton celebrated his England debut with his first international attempt.
Dow and Burton both crashed once again as Will in Wales broke.
“To be honest, it’s not going to be any better,” Kildun told the BBC in an interview after the match. “You can’t write it, I couldn’t imagine it, everything just fits in today.
“We still do a lot, but it makes me a very honor to go out to my 50th cap in front of such a huge crowd in a great stadium.
“Pressure is definitely a privilege, and every time I go out as an English team, I want to be surprised, so we’re not doing our best yet, so we raise expectations.
Earlier on Saturday, France lived through hopes of winning their first championship since 2018, when they held a show in the second half to overcome Scotland 38-15 at La Rochelle.
Scotland made things difficult for the hosts in the opening 40 minutes, but a sensational drop goal from scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus gave the hosts the spark they needed, Blue A series of trials were rolled up to add gloss to the scoreline.
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