Red Roses earn bonus-point win over Italy in Six Nations opener
The Red Roses opened their 2025 Guinness Six Nations campaign with a six-try bonus-point win over Italy at the LNER Stadium in York. Tries from Mia Venner, Emily Scarratt, Claudia Macdonald, Amy Cokayne, Emma Sing as well as a penalty try and six points from Emma Sing’s boot gave the Red Roses a 38-5 win, with Italy’s points coming through number eight Francesca Sgorbini.
England opened the scoring after just three minutes. Venner broke Italy’s defensive line to get her side five metres from the try line. The England forwards punched across the pitch before Holly Aitchison gave a miss pass to the opposite touchline and Venner scored in the corner for her first international try. Sing added the extras to make it 7-0.
The hosts struck again three minutes later through Scarratt. After a scrum in their own half, England’s backs got the ball to Venner again who darted down the wing. She was brought down by a tap tackle from Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi just before the try line. England recycled the ball quickly and Lucy Packer passed to Scarratt who powered over from close range. Sing converted to bring the score to 14-0.
After 15 minutes, England looked to have scored through Rosie Galligan who went over the line after a powerful driving maul. However, after the TMO’s intervention, it was judged that she had knocked the ball on due to Italy’s hooker Laura Gurioli entering the maul from the side, resulting in a yellow card for Gurioli and a penalty try after 22 minutes.
England’s attack continued to put their opponents under pressure, who conceded a penalty for a slap down from Italy while attempting an intercept. Helena Rowland drove the ball deep in the Italian 22. From the lineout, England mounted a driving maul which was stopped on the five-metre line. The Red Roses forwards punched toward the try line before a cross-field kick from Aitchison was collected by Macdonald who scored to give England a bonus point after 28 minutes.
Italy scored their try through Sgorbini on the first entry to the England 22 in the 34th minute. After an England penalty, the Italians launched a driving maul off the back of a line out and number eight Sgorbini dotted down.
England’s pressure on the Italian defence continued and after a knock-on over the line from Maddie Feaunati and then Venner being tackled into touch just before the try line, the Italians earned a lineout in their own 22. The Italian hooker overthrew the lineout, which Cokayne deftly poached and dove over the whitewash to score England’s fifth. Sing converted the try to take the score to 33-5 at half time.
Five minutes after halftime, the Italians had Sgorbini’s second try disallowed after their flanker Beatrice Veronese obstructed the England defenders at the lineout.
England spent much of the first 10 minutes of the second half defending before they wrestled back momentum.
Strong runs from Sing and replacements Hannah Botterman and Sarah Bern got England into their opponents’ 22 once more, but Italy's Ostuni Minuzzi and captain Sofia Stefan tackled Feaunati into touch in the 54th minute.
Sing later broke down the wing to give England an attacking field position. Rowland, spotting some space in behind Italy’s defensive line, attempted to chip the ball but it was charged down and hacked downfield by Alyssa D’Incà.
England continued to bring on their replacements, including Jade Shekells and Flo Robinson who both came on to make their debuts.
England then had a try disallowed in the 72nd minute after a strong run from Bern gave replacement Sadia Kabeya the opportunity to dive over the line, but the TMO intervened to rule it out for an earlier forward pass.
The sole points of the second half came just before the final whistle. Off the back of a lineout, Feaunati gave the ball to Kabeya who darted through defenders toward the try line. Strong runs from captain Zoe Aldcroft and Bern got England ever closer before Scarratt gave a short ball to Sing who walked over to make the final score 38-5.
John Mitchell’s side will now head to Cardiff on Saturday 29 March for their second game of the tournament against Wales.
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