England start Six Nations campaign with a dominant win over Italy, but second-half struggles raise concerns.
England kicked off their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a 38-5 demolition of Italy, securing a bonus-point victory in York. But while the Red Roses were dominant in the first half, their performance after the break left much to be desired.
First-Half Brilliance, Second-Half Stumble
From the opening whistle, England took complete control. Five tries in the first half—including scores from Emma Sing, Claudia MacDonald, and a penalty try—saw them storm into a 33-5 lead at half-time. Italy managed a single try through Beatrice Sgorbini, but they were overwhelmed by England’s pace and power.
The second half, however, painted a very different picture. England could only muster one more try, and their fluid attacking play gave way to sloppy execution and unforced errors. Italy’s defense tightened, disrupting England’s rhythm and preventing any further humiliation on the scoreboard.
Former England captain Katy Daley-Mclean was quick to highlight the shift in momentum. “Let’s not discredit Italy—they defended well. But by England’s standards, that second half massively dropped,” she told BBC iPlayer.
Mitchell: “New Combinations Needed”
England head coach John Mitchell acknowledged the issues, admitting that while the opening 40 minutes were strong, his team lost momentum. “We built pressure well early on, but our execution let us down in the second half,” he said. “We tightened them up quickly in the first half, but after the break, the breakdown got messy.”
Mitchell also hinted at changes for England’s next match against Wales at the Principality Stadium, promising “new combinations” to improve cohesion. “Hopefully, by the middle of the tournament, we’ll start to come together connection-wise,” he added.
A Vital Step Towards the World Cup
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup set to take place in England this August, the Six Nations is a crucial testing ground for Mitchell’s squad. The opening win is a confidence booster, but the drop-off in the second half raises concerns about their ability to maintain intensity over 80 minutes.
England will face a sterner test next week when they travel to Cardiff. Playing in front of a hostile Principality Stadium crowd, the Red Roses will need to iron out their second-half flaws if they want to maintain their perfect start to the tournament.
Will England’s early dominance prove sustainable, or did Italy expose a deeper issue that could cost them later in the tournament? All eyes now turn to Cardiff for the next chapter of their Six Nations journey.
