Match report
I’ll leave you with Sarah Rendell’s verdict from Cardiff. Thanks for joining me. Bye!
Abi Burton talks about her remarkable debut: “I’m so excited. I can’t put into words how I feel. I’ve been trying not to let the emotions get to me this week … when we came here on the team run, I just stood here and relished it. I’d love to be involved in the World Cup, but I’m just staying in the here and now, hoping to get experience in the Six Nations.”
Burton, as I mentioned earlier, suffered a life-threatening illness and spent three weeks in an induced coma in 2021. Now she’s an England international, with her family watching on.
Wales captain Hannah Jones: “We can take a lot of positives from the start, and a lot of learning from the rest of the game. Sean is bringing passion and energy, but there’s no quick fixes. I think defensively, we need to slow the ball down, but England’s speed is unreal.”
John Mitchell: “We didn’t start particularly well, but we improved in the second half with our combinations. We can’t get bored with the basics, like the last pass, stuff on the floor, penalties – but want to show ambition as well. They were a bit nervous, a bit cautious at the start, I told them to take the handbrake off.”
On Kildunne: “Ellie is starting to serve the team in different ways. She’s got her Plan A, which she’s world-class at, but some teams will be able to stop her counter attacks.”
On the kicking game: “We earned 450 more metres kicking today – Wales left the backfield open so we had to exploit it. I think we’ve got the best kicking game in the world.”
And now the Wales coach, Sean Lynn: “Very proud, an amazing occasion – thanks to everyone who came along today. I want the team to always be moving forward – I thought some of our attacking play was excellent, but at the end we just fell away in the second half.
“We’re playing the best in the world though – I’m super proud of my team. We’ve got to keep getting better; we’ve got France, Ireland and Italy left. I want them to fight for each other, and they did that today.”
Meg Jones, who was born a couple of miles from this stadium, says: “I haven’t played here since I was 12 years old! Lots of emotions for me, I was holding it all in during the anthems. I know [my parents] would both be proud of me … my Dad would have left early though to avoid all the chaos!
“We made a couple of mistakes out there, but it was a really good performance in the second half. [John Mitchell] has told us to try and take the handbrake off,” she adds as we see a replay of her solo score.
And here’s the England captain, Zoe Aldcroft: “We slipped up a bit on execution in the first half, and we talked about that, and trying to be more direct. We’ve got strong ball carriers, so that game plan works for us. Competition is healthy, we need it for each player to grow.”
Ellie Kildunne talks to BBC Sport: “I couldn’t have imagined better than a hat-trick on my 50th cap, in front of such an incredible crowd. Pressure’s a privilege, and as an England squad we want to keep raising expectations. There’s still things we can work on, and I think we can take it to levels we’ve not been before.”
Full time: Wales 12-67 England
Wales scored first but England roared back and were close to their very best in a ruthless second-half performance. Ellie Kildunne scored a quickfire hat-trick and there were doubles for Abby Dow, Maddie Feaunati and Abi Burton, who had a debut to remember.
Updated
TRY! Wales 12-67 England (Burton 80')
England aren’t done yet, with Burton collecting from Maud Muir, who points to the tryline. Abi Burton obliges, diving for the line under pressure to score a second try on her debut. And Harrison converts to bring an end to proceedings.
79 minutes: A creeping diagonal kick just rolls out of play for an England lineout. Ellie Kildunne is named player of the match, and rightly so.
TRY! Wales 12-60 England (Dow 77')
A tenth England try and it’s all very straightforward – Packer turns to shield the ball and offloads to Harrison, who finds Dow on the charge for her second try. Harrison’s conversion from a tight angle hits the near post.
Updated
76 mins: England have a scrum 10 metres out, and there are some tired legs out there for Wales now …
75 mins: After an iffy second half against Italy last week, John Mitchell will be very pleased to see England score more points after the restart than in the first half here – they led 26-7 at the break.
TRY! Wales 12-55 England (Burton 73')
What a moment, as Abi Burton scores on her England debut! It’s a piece of brilliant, bruising back-row play, with the relentless Kabeya holding defenders off before Burton crashes through two red shirts. Harrison converts as England pass the 50-point mark.
Updated
71 mins: Kildunne picked up a knock in that move forward, and although she doesn’t want to go off, she’s replaced by Helena Rowland. Another exceptional display from World Rugby’s player of the year today.
A final Wales change, too: Megan Davies is on for Keira Bevan.
Updated
70 mins: Kildunne carries forward at speed again, but runs into trouble and has the ball stripped away by Alaw Pyrs.
TRY! Wales 12-48 England (Dow 68')
Wow. England show they can cut a defence open in multiple ways here, with Harrison lining up a diagonal kick and picking out Abby Dow, who is in acres of space to the right and gallops away to score. The conversion is missed out wide.
Updated
67 mins: Here come three England replacements – and Abi Burton is one of them! She replaces Feaunati to make her debut, while Holly Aitchison and Rosie Gallagan are also on for Talling and Heard.
66 mins: Kildunne has carried the ball further than anyone else today, but still has the stamina to scamper away from two red shirts on her own try-line, and then kick clear.
64 mins: Some nice footwork from Meg Jones, who then tries to find Jess Breach – but the high pass leads to a knock-on. John Mitchell still not emptying his bench, with four replacements yet to come on.
The attendance is announced – 21,186 here at the Principality. It’s a historic figure, and they’ve certainly been entertained.
62 mins: Another promising charge upfield from the Wales backs, with Hannah Jones making ground before Neumann is held up by white shirts on the right flank.
61 mins: Lucy Packer replaces Natasha Hunt at scrum-half for England.
TRY! Wales 12-43 England (Kate Williams 59')
Wales get their second try! It’s an opportunistic surge forward from a scrum stuck in reverse, with Carys Cox getting free down the left and offloading for Kate Williams to score. Hearty cheers around the stadium after what’s been a punishing second half, even if Bevan narrowly misses the conversion.
58 mins: Bryonie King – the former Wales rugby league captain – comes off the home bench, along with Courtney Keight. They replace George and Crabb …
57 mins: Harrison shanks the conversion, and Wales might be grateful for any points they can keep off the right side of the scoreboard at this point.
Updated
TRY! Wales 7-43 England (Kildunne 56')
Kildunne thinks she’s completed an eight-minute hat-trick here, kicking on from Breach’s tap-through and chasing it down herself. Not given on the field, but the TMO rules that the ball was grounded – and while a potential forward pass is also checked, the try stands!
Updated
54 mins: Two England changes, with Maud Muir and Amy Cokayne replacing Sarah Bern and Lark Atkin-Davies.
TRY! Wales 7-38 England (Kildunne 54')
England’s forwards do the hard work, holding things up cleanly five metres out until the backs arrive. Hunt finds Harrison, who again offloads clinically to Ellie Kildunne for her second score. Harrison’s conversion attempt only clips the far post.
52 mins: Some more Wales changes, with Alaw Pyrs and Maisie Davies on for Gwen Pyrs and Abbie Fleming. And yes, Alaw and Gwen are sisters.
50 mins: Jaz Joyce-Butchers heads off the field, with Nel Metcalfe replacing her at full-back. For Wales, Bevan surges forward from a tap-and-go penalty, but runs out of options alongside her.
TRY! Wales 7-33 England (Kildunne 48')
There’s an inevitability about this attacking move, with Bern and Botterman punching holes in the England defence and Natasha Hunt controlling things at scrum-half. Wales get pulled to their left and Harrisons sweeps the ball wide to Ellie Kildunne, who scores on her 50th England appearance. Harrison converts neatly from out wide.
Updated
47 mins: George’s next clearing kick is picked up by Harrison and England surge forward again in waves …
46 mins: Kildunne kicks diagonally in behind, forcing Neumann to collect and then run into traffic. George eventually clears, but England have a lineout deep in Welsh territory.
45 mins: Feaunati, scorer of two first-half tries, needs some treatment after a crunching tackle from Bethan Lewis. She’s OK to carry on, though. From the restart, Harrison collects an awkward bouncing ball well under pressure.
44 mins: A loose England pass is booted downfield by Bethan Lewis, where Neumann does well to kick and collect under pressure. Wales get within 20 metres of the English line but white shirts get back to snuff out the danger.
42 mins: Two half-time changes for Wales in the front row: Donna Rose and Kelsey Jones are on for Jenni Scoble and Carys Phillips.
41 mins: Immediate England pressure under the first high ball, but George gets her clearing kick away.
Second half
Zoe Harrison gets the second half up and running.
Updated
The crowd are being kept warm at half-time by a musical performance from the Stickmen Project, wearing masks and LED-lined tracksuits. Daft Punk for Gen-Z, or something like that.
Updated
Some first-half stats to digest:
Possession: Wales 55%, England 45%
Tackles made/missed: Wales 38/11, England 86/7
Carries/metres made: Wales 48/189, England 40/423
Penalties conceded: Wales 1, England 4
Handling errors: Wales 3, England 3
Turnovers won, Wales 1, England 3
Half time: Wales 7-26 England
The hosts got over the try line first after an impressive start, but England hit back with a vengeance, running in four tries to take control of this match without ever looking close to their best. Can Wales keep their opponents in sight in the second half?
Updated
40 mins: England’s final charge downfield is very stop-start and a handling error hands Wales a penalty – but we’re already in the red, and that’s half time.
39 mins: Bevan’s high kick to touch drifts out without a bounce, and England have a late lineout on the halfway line.
37 mins: They work through the phases but get held up in midfield, and Carys Phillips is penalised for a slightly extravagant roll forward as she tried to maintain possession.
36 mins: After an exchange of kicks, Neumann snatches the loose ball in mid-air just as Jones threatened to break away with it. Can Wales make anything happen before the half-time whistle?
34 mins: The referee has a word with both front rows before a scrum, and then awards Wales a penalty – that’s the fourth England have conceded in the first half. Unfortunately for the hosts, the kick downfield goes straight to Kildunne.
32 mins: Wales again work the ball wide right to Neumann, who is stood up by Meg Jones. The hosts being kept square by the England defence, and Bevan’s eventual kick goes straight into touch.
30 mins: Wales have been suffering at set pieces but stand up well here to win a penalty off the scrum. The penalty is kicked for a lineout, won by Gwen Crabb …
Zoe Harrison misses the conversion from out wide, but England have a fourth try and a bonus point wrapped up inside half an hour.
TRY! Wales 7-26 England (Feaunati 26')
Botterman immediately plays her part as England’s pack win the ball from a Welsh scrum. Kildunne breaks downfield with Hannah Jones out of position, and while Neumann does well to stop the score, she has no help and Feaunati can collect for her second try.
Updated
26 mins: An early change for England in the front row, Mackenzie Carson replaced by Hannah Botterman.
25 mins: Kildunne swirls a lovely pass out to Dow, who draws the defender and offloads inside to Jess Breach … but the referee has whistled for a forward pass against Kildunne. Replays suggest that was a little harsh.
24 mins: Zoe Aldcroft breaks through the Welsh defence and powers almost 30 metres upfield. Neumann halts her with a firm tackle, but England come again …
Updated
23 mins: Wales are moving the ball nicely, trying to use the width of the field, but Neumann meets a white wall in the shape of Ellie Kildunne and England get the scrum ball.
21 mins: An England offside gives George the chance to kick downfield and get Wales a foothold in the territory battle.
TRY! Wales 7-21 England (Bern 19')
In the next passage of play, England do strike again, rolling to within five metres before clean hands from Feaunati create space for Sarah Bern to sneak inside the posts. Harrison adds her third conversion.
Updated
17 mins: Wales set up their opening score with accurate kicking, but have struggled since, giving up too much field position to England. It’s almost a third try for the visitors here but Breach is held up on the left flank just short of the line.
16 mins: England have certainly woken up now, and Jess Breach kicks through and chases at speed – but Jaz Joyce is there to clear up.
TRY! Wales 7-14 England (Jones 13')
Wales kick off and Ellie Kildunne makes a stuttering run upfield. Before the home defence can regroup, centre Meg Jones finds space on the ball and cuts left and right, sevens-style, before racing over the line. A poignant moment for Jones, born in Wales, but tapping the Red Rose as she crosses. Harrison converts.
Updated
TRY! Wales 7-7 England (Feaunati 11')
From the lineout, England level with an ease that will really frustrate Wales after such a bright start. A misjudged tackle from Bethan Lewis leaves a big gap for Maddie Feaunati, who jogs clear of the defence to score. Harrison floats over the conversion.
Updated
10 mins: Abby Dow kicks into space downfield and as Lisa Neumann runs the ball out, gets upfield and muscles the Welsh wing out of play.
8 mins: England try to strike back quickly, but Sarah Bern falls awkwardly and allows try-scorer Scoble to steal the ball. Bern clings on, but Wales get the penalty, which is kicked to touch.
TRY! Wales 7-0 England (Scoble 5')
Wales get another scrum and Georgia Evans drives for the line. She’s held up but the pack are behind her in numbers, and Jenni Scoble gets over the line! Bevan adds the conversion, and Wales have reward for their early pressure.
Updated
4 mins: The scrum folds and Wales have a tap-and-go, but Sadia Kabeya is well-placed at the breakdown to strip the ball away. It’s played back to Zoe Harrison, who fumbles and is brought down behind the line. England a little rattled early on …
3 mins: England have the chance to clear their lines but fail to do so, with Mackenzie Carson knocking on five metres out. Wales will have the scrum …
2 mins: Wales win the early lineout and Jaz Joyce breaks into space on the right. The hosts work the ball back out to the left and Carys Cox tries to offload, but finds a white shirt.
Here we go
The referee, Clara Munarini, waits for the PA to count down and Lleuce George kicks off for Wales.
Time for the anthems. Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau at the Principality is always special. I used to live about half a mile away from the stadium in Cardiff, and if you stood at the back door just before kick-off, you could hear it on the breeze.
Here’s the England coach, John Mitchell, on rotating his team: “I’m very grateful for the competition [in the squad]. We want the best playmakers and decision makers in the team. This is the plan, everyone’s bought into it. Can we keep pressure on the opposition for a longer period of time? I’m sure Wales will throw some punches at us, and I want to see how we respond.”
Abi Burton could make her England debut off the bench today – an extraordinary achievement after a neurological condition left her in a coma four years ago. After representing Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the Ealing forward suffered a knee injury and then began to have seizures and sudden changes in behaviour.
Eventually diagnosed with autoimmune NMDA receptor encephalitis, she was placed in an induced coma that lasted for almost a month. “I couldn’t walk, talk, read or write. Going from a strapping rugby player to not even being able to get myself up to go to the toilet was crazy. I was a shell of myself.”
After a long recovery period, Burton returned to rugby and played for Team GB’s sevens last year in Paris, earning an England call-up this year. “If I ever relapse, I might not be able to play again, so I play every game like it’s going to be my last.”
Wales are hosting England at the Principality Stadium for the first time in the Women’s Six Nations – with 18,000 tickets sold in advance, this will be the biggest-ever crowd for a women’s sporting event in Wales.
“It doesn’t get bigger than this,” says the Wales head coach, Sean Lynn. “England are very strong, they’re No 1 in the world – we’ve got a lot of respect for them. But we’re trying to build on what we did against Scotland, and get some small wins today.”
England’s Meg Joyce sat down with Donald McRae earlier this month for a moving interview, having lost her Welsh father and English mother last year.
Wales full-back Jaz Joyce-Butchers on her team’s recent struggles, and hopes for a new start after players resolved their contract dispute with the WRU.
France 38-15 Scotland
There’s already one result from round two of the Six Nations, with France securing their second win and a bonus point against Scotland in La Rochelle.
The hosts didn’t have things all their own way, despite making a fast start as Carla Arbez finished off a break by No 8 Teani Feleu in the 11th minute. Morgane Bourgeois added the conversion and two penalties to make it 13-0, but Emma Orr kicked, chased and touched down for Scotland after Lisa Thomson pounced on a French handling error.
Helen Nelson added the extras to reduce the deficit to 13-7 at half-time. Bourgeois kicked another penalty soon after the restart before France further extended their lead through a brilliant drop-goal from scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus. Nelson slotted over a penalty to leave Scotland nine points behind approaching the hour mark, but the hosts found another gear in the latter stages.
France scored twice in three minutes through Feleu and Seraphine Okemba down either flank to take the game beyond their opponents. Bourgeois then dived over herself to score the hosts’ fourth try and seal a bonus point. Scotland drove across from a lineout in added time, Elis Martin touching down before Nelson’s conversion effort hit the post.
Having beaten Ireland 27-15 in Belfast in their first game, France host Wales next while Scotland, who defeated Wales in their opener, will face Italy. PA Media
Updated
The teams
Wales: Jaz Joyce-Butchers; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (c), Kayleigh Powell, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Georgia Evans.
Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King, Megan Davies, Courtney Keight, Nel Metcalfe.
England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Meg Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward, Zoe Aldcroft (c), Sadia Kabeya, Maddie Feaunati.
Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Abi Burton, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison, Helena Rowland.
Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Updated
Preamble
Two teams operating on different planes meet at the Principality Stadium this afternoon. England and Wales currently bookend the world’s top 10 but have very different expectations for this game. The visitors are seeking a “perfect game” as they build towards a home World Cup where victory is the only acceptable outcome.
John Mitchell has shuffled his starting XV from the opening win over Italy, giving his whole squad a chance to impress. Wales, who will play in front of least 18,000 fans today, will aim to flourish in the spotlight, building on the narrow defeat to Scotland in the opening week. Still, a first victory over England since 2015 would be a seismic shock.
With last year’s wooden spoon winners rebuilding under new head coach Sean Lynn, focus may be on the performance rather than the scoreboard for Wales. With Welsh rugby in something of an existential funk, the women’s side will be eager to avoid the kind of chastening defeat suffered by the men two weeks ago.
England, on the other hand, are operating under exacting standards and unbeaten since the painful 2022 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand. Even in the 38-5 rout of Italy, there was a second-half drift that the team are keen to correct. It’s a big afternoon for women’s rugby in Wales; the hosts will hope it doesn’t become a long one.
Updated
