Full-back Abby Dow grabbed four tries for the Red Roses against Italy at Franklin's Gardens; Jessica Breach scored a hat-trick, while Claudia MacDonald and skipper Marlie Packer crossed twice; Tatyana Heard got the other try for the home side as they made it two wins from two
Monday 3 April 2023 06:15, UK
Four tries from Abby Dow helped England to a convincing bonus-point 68-5 victory over Italy in Sunday’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations match at Franklin’s Gardens.
Two tries apiece from wingers Jessica Breach and Claudia MacDonald, plus one from Dow helped ensure the Red Roses secured the try-scoring bonus point in the first half and led 27-5 at half-time.
Sara Tounesi's unconverted score had seen Italy within touching distance of the hosts early on and ensured they would avoid being nilled as was the case when the teams last met.
But that was the only time they troubled the scoreboard, with Breach and Dow completing their hat-tricks in the second half, along with skipper Marlie Packer adding two and Tatyana Heard crossing in the rout which made it two wins from two for Simon Middleton's side.
Italy were on the back foot from the kick-off after a knock-on from Veronica Maida on the edge of her own 22 gave England an early scrum in a great position. The set-piece was not the best, but the Red Roses got the ball and worked it wide for Breach to finish for a try converted by Hollie Aichison.
The away side struck back immediately though, kicking to touch from a penalty and then setting up a drive from a line-out which led to Sara Tounesi breaking off the side of the maul and finishing in the right corner.
That was as good as it got for Italy though, with the Red Roses coming up with a steal at a line-out which was followed by fly-half Aichison putting a kick to the right corner which Breach gathered and then passed back inside for Dow to get her first of the match with nine minutes gone.
England's forwards then started to assert dominance at the scrum and that led to MacDonald's first try of the afternoon in the 18th minute, taking the ball around 40 metres out, fending off an Italian defender and then streaking clear to score wide on the right.
The Exeter Chiefs star then grabbed her second and secured the bonus point for the Red Roses just after the half-hour mark, taking the ball from Sarah Bern after one of the prop's blockbusting runs which earned her the player of the match accolade and finishing out on the left.
There was still time for Saracens wing Breach to grab her second of the match before half time, having had one chalked off by the TMO for an obstruction in the build-up earlier on, and put England firmly in the driving seat at the break.
Inside centre Heard ensured the tries kept coming after the break with a 45th-minute score, converted by midfield partner Lagi Tumi, after a spell of pressure from the Red Roses early in the second half, although an ankle injury suffered by MacDonald saw her forced off.
Back-to-back tries from Dow then saw her complete her hat-trick and Breach did likewise with just over a quarter of an hour to go to take England past the 50-point mark for the second game running in this year's competition.
The result was now beyond doubt, but the Red Roses kept coming against the tiring Italians and two scores from captain Packer following line-out drives came either side of Dow's fourth of the day, with replacement Emma Sing kicking two conversions to put the seal on the victory.
Player of the match and England prop Sarah Bern, speaking to the BBC…
"I love ball carrying... so I had the opportunity to go in those positions today and hopefully I can play a few more games there.
"We want to play attacking rugby, we want to get the fans on their feet, and I think we did that today."
England make the trip to face Wales in the third round of fixtures on Saturday, April 15 (2.15pm). Italy are back on home turf when they take on Ireland on the same day (4.45pm).
