World champions England added another Guinness Women’s Six Nations crown to their collection on a thrilling Super Sunday.
The Red Roses completed a fifth successive Grand Slam, taking their tally of consecutive Six Nations titles to eight with a 43-28 win over France in Bordeaux.
Elsewhere on the final weekend, Ireland made history with a first-ever women’s standalone fixture at the Aviva Stadium, putting on a show in a 54-5 win over Scotland, while Italy saw off Wales 43-24 in Cardiff.
Kildunne and Breach at the double for champions England
England came into this championship missing four key forwards due to pregnancy, while they also lost a few other key contributors along the way.
But their depth held up and then some, culminating in a fifth win of the campaign over France in Bordeaux in a match where they defended stoutly in the opening quarter before taking the game away from their hosts with some clinical attack before half-time.
Leading 26-7 at the interval, with Ellie Kildunne scoring two of the four first-half tries, they had to resist a French comeback after the break.
Just when it seemed that the home team might spring a surprise, getting the score back to 29-21, England shut the door, with Kildunne’s back three partner Jess Breach getting her second try of the game, both coming from slick attack from first phase.
England still had time for another try, Amy Cokayne capping off a stellar afternoon with a score from a smart lineout move and England celebrated in style.
Wafer makes a statement against Scots
More than 30,000 spectators poured into the Aviva Stadium to watch Ireland continue their recent uptick in form and they delivered in spades.
Aoife Wafer was the star of the show, as is so often the case. Last year’s Player of the Championship scored twice in the first half, finishing with a flourish with a spectacular dive for Ireland’s seventh try of the half.
Ireland’s attack was as fluent as it has been at any point in the tournament, with winger Robyn O’Connor another to catch the eye, scoring one try and setting up Wafer’s second.
Leading 47-0 at the break, Ireland were not quite as clinical in the second half, Brittany Hogan matching her back-row colleague with a second try of her own, which proved to be the only Irish score of the second 40 minutes.
And having been under the cosh for so much of the game, Scotland did at least have the final say, replacement hooker Aicha Sutcliffe getting over with the clock in the red.
Wales undone in second half by Italy
Wales’s hopes of finishing with a victory at home to Italy were ended by a fine second-half display from Le Azzurre.
Sean Lynn’s team had taken their chances to lead 19-17 in Cardiff, with centre pairing Courtney Keight and Carys Cox both crossing before Kelsey Jones’ score right on the stroke of half-time.
But Italy pulled away in the second half, scoring four tries to make the game safe despite a Kayleigh Powell try at the death for the home side, clinching their second bonus point of the campaign.
