Red Roses overpower Scotland in Six Nations
The Red Roses ran in eight tries at a sold out Hive Stadium in Edinburgh to down Scotland 0-46.
The tries were scored by Amy Cokayne, Abby Dow, Ellie Kildunne (2), Sadia Kabeya, Jess Breach (2) and Marlie Packer with Scotland unable to get on the scoreboard. John Mitchell’s squad have now recorded 27 consecutive wins in the Six Nations.
England put the hosts under a lot of early pressure, as the forwards combined well with neat offloads out of contact to get over the gain line - but handling errors in wet and windy Edinburgh conditions hampered opportunities.
Away from Test rugby for 12 months, it took hooker Cokayne six minutes to have an impact on the match, by claiming the opening try. Taking a pass from scrum half Mo Hunt off a 10-metre ruck, she stepped inside and brushed off a Scottish defender en route to the whitewash.
The visitors capitalised on that momentum with another try five minutes later, where nearly every England player touched the ball - spreading it across the field and keeping it out of contact - Sadia Kabeya provided the final pass to unleash Dow into the corner who doubled the lead to 0-10.
Maud Muir had a try chalked off by referee Clara Munarini because of a dangerous ruck clear out one phase before the score, for which Cokayne was shown a yellow card.
Despite having 14 players on the pitch the Red Roses grew in confidence, as Aitchison dropped a well-weighted grubber kick in behind the Scot line, before centre Meg Jones showed fantastic skill and awareness to kick it in field, into the path of Kildunne, who scooped it up and rolled over the line. Fly-half Aitchison sent her first conversion of the match through the uprights for a 0-17 lead at the break.
The half time stats showed a dominant England display as they boasted 70% possession, beat 24 more defenders than their opponents, made 58 more carries and gained 207 more metres. The Match Centre highlighted Hannah Botterman as a standout performer with 10 carries and 49 metres to her name.
The bonus point was confirmed three minutes into the resumption, as a dominant English scrum pushed Scotland back to their try line, and Kabeya was on hand to dive over. Aitchison's extras opened up a 24-point advantage.
Breach bagged the fifth try, which came off the back of a strike move from a 22-metre scrum. It saw Dow come off her wing to receive the ball behind the dummy runs of Jones and Kildunne, before zipping a pass to the unmarked Breach who cantered into the corner to stretch the lead to 29 points.
Cokayne was shown her second yellow card on 54 minutes for a high tackle on opposite hooker Lana Skeldon, permanently removing her from the field, but it had little impact on England. A superb solo kick return from Breach on the hour mark saw her scythe through Scotland to dot down in the same corner she scored her first try in seven minutes prior.
Kildunne's second on 65 minutes was her sixth of the tournament, and squad captain Packer - on the field 10 minutes - claimed the eighth try, and Zoe Harrison's conversion rounded off a comprehensive 0-46 win.
Teams
Red Roses
15. Ellie Kildunne, 14. Abby Dow, 13. Megan Jones, 12. Tatyana Heard, 11. Jess Breach, 10. Holly Aitchison, 9. Natasha Hunt, 1. Hannah Botterman, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Maud Muir, 4. Rosie Galligan, 5. Abbie Ward, 6. Zoe Aldcroft - captain, 7. Sadia Kabeya, 8. Alex Matthews.
Replacements
16. Connie Powell, 17. Mackenzie Carson, 18. Kelsey Clifford, 19. Maddie Feaunati, 20. Marlie Packer, 21. Lucy Packer, 22. Zoe Harrison, 23. Sydney Gregson.
Scotland
15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Rhona Lloyd, 13. Emma Orr, 12. Meryl Smith, 11. Coreen Grant, 10 Helen Nelson, 9. Caity Mattinson, 1. Leah Bartlett, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Christine Belisle, 4. Emma Wassell, 5. Louise McMillan, 6. Rachel Malcolm - captain, 7. Alex Stewart, 8. Evie Gallagher.
Replacements
16. Elis Martin, 17. Molly Wright, 18. Elliann Clarke, 19. Fiona McIntosh, 20. Rachel McLachlan, 21. Mairi McDonald, 22. Lisa Thomson, 23. Francesca McGhie.
