If further evidence were needed of the benefits of scheduling the Women’s Six Nations to stand alone, England’s third consecutive bonus-point win in front of 14,689 fans surely provided it. Two each for Jess Breach and Lark Davies among England’s 10 tries helped to overpower Wales, who defended with spirit before the workload simply became too much.
As they build towards this year’s World Cup, Simon Middleton and his squad will have areas they want to improve: the lineout misfired occasionally and Wales inflicted some pain at scrum time. A serious injury to Abby Dow was also a significant downside, but this was a crushing success showcasing England’s enviably balanced game. Wales have 12 players on full-time contracts this season but the gulf in class became increasingly apparent.
