Dow gets four as England extend winning run
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England………………………….68
Tries: Breach 3, 39, 63; Dow 9, 53, 56, 72; MacDonald 17, 33; Heard 44, Packer 68, 78
Conversions: Aitchison 4, Tuima 45, Sing 54, 70
Tries: Tounesi 5
By Nick Powell, Online Editor
Abby Dow scored four tries as England Women extended their winning run in the Six Nations to 21 games, hammering an error-ridden Italy at Franklin’s Gardens.
England’s run now stretches back to March 2018, with their unbeaten home run of 34 games going as far back as 2016.
Italy fought hard throughout, defended with spirit and created a fair number of chances in attack, but they were stifled by excellent scramble defence by England on multiple occasions, who were also lethal when they went forward.
It sets up an intriguing clash in the next round against Wales, who have also won both their first two games with a bonus point and are tied at the top of the table with England on ten out of ten points.
Though Italy are pointless from their first two, they have now played arguably the two strongest sides in the competition in England and France and can take positives as they face struggling Ireland at home next week.
On the day however, they were architects of their own downfall at times, and that happened straight from the off as they lost the ball forward after trying to play out from their own territory at the first restart.
From the resulting scrum England attacked down the right wing before moving it to the left where Jess Breach was waiting to ease home.
Italy hit back almost straight away, as Sara Tounesi was the beneficiary from a Red Roses-esque lineout drive, but they were soon trailing by two scores from the area that had just served them so well as they lost the ball from a lineout in their own 22, with Holly Aitchison finding Dow with a crossfield kick shortly after.
A lineout proved the origin of another try as England launched a backs move from the set piece, before a clever dummy and strong fend from Claudia MacDonald sent her through and she sped clear for the Roses third.
They had to wait a while for a fourth, as Breach had a try chalked off with Amy Cokayne obstructing in the build-up, but Star Player Sarah Bern burst through and fed MacDonald for her second and Breach did eventually get a second score in the corner before half-time as England went into the break 27-5 ahead.
Perhaps the only criticism that could have been made of England was their protection around the ruck area, and Italy continued to enjoy some space there as they sought a route back into the game.
But skipper Marlie Packer twice shut the door on promising attacks as she clamped over the ball at the ruck, and the result was wrapped up for England as Tatyana Heard powered over under the posts following another break for MacDonald.
She had to limp off with an ankle injury a few minutes later, but Dow reminded the home crowd that she has plenty of pace too with two breakaway tries down the left hand side no longer occupied by MacDonald, turning her solitary try into a hat-trick in three second-half minutes.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Breach joined her on three tries as she seized onto a chip over the top from Lagi Tuima, and Packer deservedly got on the scoresheet ahead of the final 10 minutes as she scored from a trademark England maul.
Italy were evidently worn out with the clock ticking towards full-time and after Dow went over for her fourth it seemed likely the hosts would match their 12-try tally from last year‘s 74-0 win as they continually crossed the gain-line despite some desperate rearguard from the visitors.
And Packer made sure of that with another try from the back of a maul, signing off a fine display from last year’s World Cup finalists.
England: Dow; Breach, Tuima, Heard, MacDonald; Aitchison, L Packer; Carson, Cokayne, Bern, O’Donnell, Burns, Kabeya, M Packer (c), Aldcroft
Substitutions: Davies, Crake, Clifford, Beckett, Robinson, Wyrwas, McKenna, Sing.
Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, Stefan; Madia, Barattin; Maris, Vecchini, Gai, Tounesi, Duca, Sgorbini, Franco, Giordano (c)
Substitutions: Stecca, Cassaghi, Seye, Fedrighi, Locatelli, Stevanin, Busato, Capomaggi.
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