England thrash Italy despite sub-par performance and red card in Women’s Six Nations

I’m on top of the world. We wanted to take the handbrake off and play a bit. There were some soft errors that let us down. When we tried to let off the handbrake it didn’t go as we wanted it to be. But it’s the first game of the tournament. We’ll fix things and come back stronger.

I’ve got a big crowd out here. So for them to make the trip has made it extra special for me. But everyone along my rugby journey [I need to thank]. Everybody who has had a part to play, I carry them every time I wear this shirt and to have done it 100 times is very special.

It was windy yesterday and I was worried about that but when we turned up today the sun was shining. It was a fast track to run on and I really enjoyed it. We asked each other what we wanted from the team and I asked for confidence. That is what the girls gave me. They believe in me and I believe in them as well. We’re trying things, we looking for new opportunities. The confidence leaks in so we just go for things. This time I was able to score two but I wouldn’t be able to do it without the other girls around me.

Marlie just doesn’t wear her heart on her sleeve. You can see it, it’s infectious. But I’m so proud of her and I’m proud to call her my captain. Well done Marlie!

A convincing margin of victory and a commanding second half performance despite being reduced to 14 players for 64 minutes and 13 for 10 of those. They really need to address the indiscipline that would have cost them against New Zealand. Aitchison’s fast hands at inside centre and her incisive running off the bench made England much slicker. Italy had flashes of genuine promise but lacked finishing power and missed too many tackles.  

England kick for touch from the penalty, win the line-out and let Powell spin off the back of the rolling maul to dot down for England’s eighth try.

Aitchison slots the conversion and the whistle ends the match. 

Stevanin is sin-binned for thwarting Powell’s run for the line with an illegal attempt at a rip. 

Meg Jones just spills a pass when poised to run through flat on to the last line of defence 25m out. 

Rigoni allows the grump in us to mutter ‘too clever by half’ when she plays an astonishing torpedo of a pass through her legs, eliciting a moan of delight from the crowd and total surprise from the recipient who drops the hot potato. 

The crowd rises as D’Inca breaks through but quickly sits back down when the whistle brings them back for a forward pass. 

Ellie Kildunne is awarded the player of the match award for her two tries with still seven minutes to go.

The Bunker review judges decide Rowland’s foul play was worthy of a yellow and nothing harsher. 

Kildunne pounces to make her second, being two women down is no problem at all at this stage of the game. A try made by the forwards slipping quick passes out to the left instead of taking the hit, opening a narrow gapfor Kildunne to dive through. 

Aitchison takes on kicking duties... and misses

The Bunker review will consider whether it is worthy of a red now. 

And there will be another bunker review about upgrading it. She went in pretty low but it has to be said she struck her supine opponent on the back of her head

Shoulder to head contact but was it reckless/deliberate. 

Powell is held up over the line. The tackle count shows Italy have made 123 and missed 27. It’s the mistakes that have cost them. 

Good tackle by D’Inca bundles Breach into touch as the left wing tried to go through her oppo. 

Excellent defensive work from Kildunne stops Muzzo flying through down the left, picking her up and dumping her into touch. Muzzo didn’t have the confidence to straighten her line and target Kildunne’s inside shoulder, instead arcing round the outside, inviting the side-on collision. 

Quick into the breakdown, England move the ball swiftly 15m out and give it to Mackenzie Carson to drive through to score under the posts after Aitchison’s rapid pass.

Harrison slots the conversion and that will be her final contribution as she heads to the bench. 

Both sides clear their benches and Marlie Packer walks off applauding the crowd. Maddie Feaunati comes on for a W6N debut. 

Italy have been far better than expected and let’s not forget they have lost the last six of these encounters by 50+ points. To emphasise their progress they need to keep the gap as narrow as possible. 

The dam has burst. Holly Aitchison is on the field and slips a tackle before playing in Rowlands on her shoulder who side-steps, stretches her stride and runs in from 20m.

Harrison converts. 

Fabulous finish from Kildunne with a jink and then sheer acceleration after a poor Italian kick-chase. Either the hosys are pooped or they are not reading Stefan’s cues or her intentions early enough. 

England’s conversion attempt sails through the posts. 

Kidunne has been doing that all season for Quins. She’s unstoppable when she gets going but Italy will be so disappointed with that. Kildunne literally just skipped around her opposite number before cutting back in and putting the conversion on a plate for Harrison, who’s finally on the scoreboard. Scarratt’s fumble in the build-up didn’t go unnoticed, though. 

Kildunne slips her way over the gainline with a nimble run up the left but her pass out to Kabeya who slaps it quickly on to Scarratt hits the ground in traffic. 

England win the line-out on Italy’s 5m and successfully roll the maul after being held up twice in the first half. Lark Atkin-Davies bulldozes over.

Harrison makes it nought from three with her conversion attempt from the right. 

Aldcroft scavenges proficiently for turnover ball on halfway but Italy wrestle it back and keep it in after Lucy Packer’s box kick. Harrison kicks for the corner after Marlie Packer rather unfairly wins a penalty when she jacklas with one hand, unseen by the referee, on the floor. 

Italy kick off but England counterpunch with a kick and running pressure to earn themselves a line-out on Italy’s 22. Lark Atkin-Davies is penalised for a crooked throw for the second time and Italy opt for a scrum which they win and box kick to halfway. 

The Red Roses’ World Cup-winning coach from 2014 suffered a devastating stroke last year and had to spend more than 200 days in hospital. The rugby family has united to support him and you can too, should you wish, here. 

England have looked well off the pace. This is probably the worst 40 minutes I’ve seen them play since the 2022 World Cup final. Their line-out is malfunctioning and they’ve been throwing it about in a panicked manner since Sarah Beckett’s red card, for which the No.8 can have no complaints. 

From Zoe Harrison’s double movement as she lined up the conversion for Abbie Ward’s first try, to Scarratt’s failed touchfinder flying out on the full and the five penalties they’ve coughed up, they just haven’t been at the races. Harrison has missed both kickable conversions, in a measure perhaps of how little club time she’s had this season since returning from her lengthy knee injury. 

Somehow England are winning, but only because they’ve gone back to the basics with Ward and Botterman, two of their most experienced forwards, crashing over amid the chaos.

John Mitchell has spoken at great length about England’s need to “embrace pressure and unfairness” as they build towards a home World Cup next year. They’ve certainly been soaking it up in spades here.

‘A bit disjointed, rocky, bumpy,’ says Maggie Alphonsi.

To say the least. 

Italy opt for a scrum after an Atkin-Davies infringement with the clock in the red. Madia amd Kildunne exchange long kicks but Stefan punts into touch to end the half rather than risk an England counter when Italy are pushed back. 

Breach sprints in to finish with a 30m daret down the left after some excellent work by Clifford to win turnover ball. But the pass out to Breach from Harrison was obviously forward though the commentary team continues to call it ‘lovely even though it was forward’. Hmmmm. 

Rowland goes on a mazy run and keeps making metres as she slips tackles down the right before cutting in to offload. Botterman takes it a couple of metres, as does KAbeya before slipping it to Ward to finish by lancing two defenders with a dive over the line.

Harrison again hooks the conversion wide.  

Italy continue to play well without penetrating the England 22 and, after a couple of attempts, a crunching Kabeya tackle results in a knock-on but the referee brings it back for an England penalty for D’Inca’s tackle on Harrison while the stand-off was in the air. 

Botterman bundles the ball over with phenomenal driving leg power taking it the final 5m. Harrison misses her straightforward-looking conversion attempt. 

Aldcroft snaffles the line-out and England  try to roll the maul over to score but are held up by impressibe Italian forward strength. Lucy Packer reluctantly takes the ball and Botterman, Ward and Scarratt try to punch through but they can’t get there so England have to settle for a penalty when Rigoni is caught offside. 

England kick the penalty out for a line-out 5m out. 

At last England string together a coherent attack with Dow and Kabeya making key yards with strong carries, earning a penalty when Seye is penalised for going off her feet. 

England will bank on nous, stamina and class to dig them out of this hole even with XIV but no one anticipated such a resilient start from the hosts. 

Now Kelsey Clifford is penalised for putting her hands where they shouldn’t be during a tackle. When England turn the ball over from the line-out, Scarratt miscues her kick, floating it straight into touch when she was hoping for it to grub along the whitewash for Dow to chase. 

Good spell of punchy possession from England as they make 30 metres and force a line-out inside Italy’s 5m line on the right. Lark Atkin-Davies throws to Ward but it isn’t straight. 

England line-out 5m out on the left which they win and try to roll the maul over but Italy stand firm and strip the ball from Botterman allowing Stefan to clear it out of the 22 with a box kick and Locatelli’s tenacity earns Italy a scrum. 

England have Abbie Ward’s try ruled out for double movement as she bustled through the middle, her knee going down 5m from the line before she recovered to dot down under the posts. 

There is no mitigation says the Bunker review for the ‘crocodile roll’.

Italy win their own scrum and try to exploit their numerical superiority with quick hands and going wide again but they are tied up and eventually knock on, losing the scrum vs seven Englishwomen and conceding a penalty which Harrison launches 30m into touch. 

Fair play to Italy, they’ve started brightly and are disrupting the Red Roses with their quick line speed. England’s line-out – normally inch perfect – is looking rusty. They’ve lost their opening two, which is very unlike them. 

Italy scrum for an England knock-on at the line-out. 

Sillari’s knee  is strapped from thigh to shin but she will carry on for now as Italy kick for touch from the penalty on halfway. 

Sillari spends some time on the ground nursing her left knee as the clock goes on as the TMO checks for foul play from England’s Beckett who rolled on to her braced knee during a clear-out. 

Beckett is sent to the sin bin and the footage will be reviewed by the bunker. 

Italy kick to touch and win the line-out around England’s 10m line on the right and pass it out to the left to let Maris try to punch holes in England’s defensive line. They have started well and earn another put-in at scrum. 

England throw too long at a line-out and knock on. Italy win the scrum and hang up a box kick. England catch it and run through the phases until Rigoni’s jackalling wins the penalty on their 10m line. 

Marlie Packer isn’t one for the limelight. She was supposed to run out first ahead of the anthems but jogged onto the pitch gingerly, beckoning her teammates to catch up with her. I’m told she’s got 16 friends and family here at the Lanfranchi for her big day.

Good position for Italy but they throw too long at the line-out and Seye is penalised for knocking on ... when Aldcroft could easily have been given the benefit of a turnover.  

Italy win their own ball at the line-out and Rigoni’s fast hands shift the ball across the field to let Muzzo stretch her legs. Kabeya hares across to deal with it and knocks on, not deliberately. England exert tremendous pressure at the scrum but Italy get it out snappily and attack through the middle where they earn a penalty for Marlie Packer handling on the ground. Italy kick for touch around the 22, 

The French referee blows her whistle and Zoe Harrison kicks off, hoisting a high drop kick to the centre right. England quickly turn over the ball and Scarratt drops in at scrum-half to shift the ball across to the left where Breach is shoved into touch 20m out.  

God Save the King is followed by Il Canto degli Italiani, both played in traditional style by a military band.

As she’s winning her 100th cap today, both teams let her walk out solo, 30 seconds before the rest join her on the field to line up for the anthems. 

Earlier I bumped into three middle-aged men who were some of the first spectators through the gates. I assumed they were relatives of the players, but it turns out they’re Red Roses superfans and they’ve bought tickets for all of England’s Women’s Six Nations fixtures. Shows how the Red Roses’ brand is growing. 

It’s a balmy day here in Parma and the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi is filling up nicely. There was a 1500-strong crowd here two years ago in this fixture but I’m told we’re expecting at least double that today. These are minute numbers compared with what the Red Roses now regularly attract at home, but it’s nevertheless progress – of some sort – for Italian women’s rugby. A kids’ rugby festival took place this morning adjacent to the stadium and lots of families have been trickling through the gates – a clear ploy perhaps to boost the number of late walk-ups.

England have won all 17 of their Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches against Italy, with their last five such victories all coming by margins of 50+ points, and are on a 24-match winning streak in the tournament.

15. Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins); 14. Abby Dow (Ealing Trailfinders); 13. Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), 12. Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), 11. Jess Breach (Saracens), 10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens), 9. Lucy Packer (Harlequins); 1. Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), 2. Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears), 3. Kelsey Clifford (Saracens); 4. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), 5. Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears); 6. Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), 7. Marlie Packer (Captain, Saracens), 8. Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury).

Replacements 16. Connie Powell (Harlequins), 17. Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), 18. Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), 19. Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), 20. Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), 21. Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), 22. Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), 23. Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers).

15. Vittoria Ostuni Mizzuni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 14. Aura Muzza (Villorba Rugby), 13. Michela Sillari (Valsugana), 12. Beatrice Rigoni (Sale Sharks), 11. Alyssa D’Inca (Villorba); 10. Veronica Madia (Grenoble Amazones), 9. Sofia Stefan (Captain, Valsugana); 1 Gaia Maris (ASM Romagnat), 2. Silvia Turani (Harlequins), 3. Sara Seye (Ealing Trailfinders), 4. Valeria Fedrigi (Stade Toulousain), 5. Sara Tounesi (Sale Sharks), 6. Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Colorno), 7. Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Romagnat Rugby, 20 caps), 8. Giulia Cavina (CUS Milano Rugby).

Replacements 16. Laura Gurioli (Villorba), 17. Emanuela Stecca (Villorba), 18. Lucia Gai (Valsugana), 19. Alessia Pilani (Rugby Colorno, 5 caps), 20. Giordana Duca (Valsugana), 21. Alessandra Frangipani (Villorba), 22. Emma Stevanin (Valsugana), 23. Francesca Granzotto (Unione Rugby Capitolina).

As a team renowned for their resourcefulness on the pitch, the Red Roses naturally went the extra mile to mark a very special occasion on the eve of their Women’s Six Nations campaign.

There was a business-like feel to the team’s captain’s run on Saturday – this is a squad serious in its aim about sustaining the gap over other nations – but they still found time to mark John Mitchell’s 60th birthday in style during their shirt presentation.

After going through the motions on one of the training pitches at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, they donned Mitchell lookalike masks in their team hotel for a skit secretly planned by winger Jess Breach.

Despite his milestone birthday, Mitchell, who marked the occasion with his family in the UK earlier in the week, cut a serious figure as he watched his team put the final touches to their preparations ahead of their tournament opener against Italy.

“It’s business as usual,” Mitchell, who was sporting a bright multicoloured birthday badge, told Telegraph Sport. “We’re looking to get started and we just want to go at them [Italy] now. I’m sure the game won’t go all our own way, there’ll be times when we’ll have difficult periods of play.”

Since being unveiled as the Red Roses head coach last May, the England head coach has waxed lyrical about his team’s potential, as they seek to avenge back-to-back World Cup disappointments next year when they will host women’s rugby’s blue riband event.

“We’re really going to love the other teams getting better because we sent a message to the rest of the world and [world champions] New Zealand a few days ago that we’re also focused on improving as well. Bring it on,” added Mitchell.

Meanwhile, in a first for the women’s team, England’s highly respected men’s chef Thomas Kirby has travelled out with the Red Roses to Parma. Videos posted on England Rugby’s Instagram account show how Kirby went through 300 eggs and up to 50 litres of milk for the England men’s team in a single day during the Six Nations.

“I wasn’t aware it was going to be Tommy,” said Mitchell. “He’s also a bloody good chef. We’re very fortunate to have access to him. When you go to these foreign places, you’ve got to make sure your nutrition is on the money.”