Defending champions England began their quest for an eighth successive Guinness Girls’s Six Nations crown with a routine victory, whereas there have been additionally wins for France and Scotland in spherical one.
Within the opening match of the 2025 championship, France held off a spirited efficiency from Eire in Belfast to win 27-15 thanks in no small half to a blistering begin and composed end.
Afterward Saturday, Scotland handed Wales a dropping begin to Sean Lynn’s reign, holding on to win 24-21 as each groups misplaced a participant to a purple card.
The opening spherical got here to an in depth in York on Sunday, the place England raced right into a 26-0 lead inside half an hour earlier than closing out a 38-5 victory.
And because the mud settles, listed below are 4 issues we realized from an enthralling first spherical.
A story of ‘what if’ for Eire
On their two most up-to-date visits to Eire, France had scored not less than 50 factors and on the one earlier than that had fallen simply wanting that mark, profitable 47-17.
It’s a signal of the progress made beneath Scott Bemand that the overriding feeling in Belfast following Saturday’s 27-15 defeat was that Eire had let a chance slip.
Definitely, the hosts rallied from falling 14-0 behind within the opening quarter at Kingspan Stadium to present themselves an excellent probability of ending their eight-year watch for a victory on this fixture.
Ireland dominated possession, enjoying 54 per cent of it, and shaded territory too – particularly in the second half – while making more carries (149 to 84) and gaining almost double the number of metres from them (800m to 444m).
The wind of momentum appeared to be in the hosts’ sails when the impressive Aoife Wafer crossed for the second time to convey her facet inside two factors with 13 minutes left.
However they finally paid for dealing with errors – 31 of them – missed conversions and never making extra of their 20-minute participant benefit. France had been ruthless within the closing levels, scoring 10 factors from their uncommon forages into Irish territory to shut out the sport.
Eire will play lots worse than this and win over the course of the following 5 weeks, however that shall be scant comfort as they start their preparations for the second spherical and a visit to Parma to play Italy.
Gallagher purple dampens Scotland pleasure
There’s a lot for Bryan Easson and Scotland to be thankful for heading to France for a mouthwatering match in opposition to Les Bleues subsequent Saturday.
As captain Rachel Malcolm recommended after their nail-biting 24-21 defeat of Wales in Edinburgh, the house facet shut out the noise surrounding their guests’ new teaching set-up and absolutely deserved their victory.
Scotland dominated the match stats, having fun with nearly two-thirds possession and territory whereas making 811m with ball in hand, and will have been additional in entrance had – as Malcolm additionally famous – they’d been a bit of extra correct.
But, in addition they confirmed a major quantity of resilience to shut out the match in tough situations after Gwenllian Pyrs’ attempt to Keira Bevan’s third conversion had made it a three-point match.
However, their task in La Rochelle will be made all the more difficult if they have to make the trip to France’s west coast without Evie Gallagher.
Gallagher was shown a yellow card, which was later upgraded to a 20-minute red by the bunker official, with about half an hour to play at Hive Stadium, putting her involvement in round two in some doubt.
The No.8’s importance to her country on both sides of the ball is highlighted by the fact she made 70m from nine carries and completed 10 tackles in her 52 minutes on the pitch. If anyone can fill her boots though, it’s the woman waiting in the wings, Jade Konkel.
Wales show positive early signs in defeat
Sean Lynn told his players to believe as he insisted Wales had displayed a resilience and “fight” that can’t be coached after they almost pulled off a memorable victory in Edinburgh.
It was always going to be difficult for Lynn to implement his game plan with just a six-day turnaround from the PWR closing, his final match in control of Gloucester-Hartpury.
However there have been loads of optimistic indicators on Saturday at Hive Stadium, the place the guests might have crumbled within the face of a first-half onslaught from their decided hosts.
It took lower than 5 minutes for Carys Phillips to attain the primary attempt of the Lynn period, however that proved a short spotlight as Scotland took management within the opening 40 minutes.
Certainly, the hosts might have constructed an even bigger lead had it not been for some indiscipline and the a few TMO interventions, whereas Wales’ 35 missed tackles suggests work must be executed on defence this week.
However as Lynn says, there are some issues you’ll be able to’t coach and what was clear as Wales closed to inside three factors within the closing 5 minutes is that it is a group of gamers prepared to present every little thing for his or her new teaching workers.
“That perception after we went [10] factors down, that’s what I needed from this group of gamers,” Lynn stated.
“There have been some tears on the market and I hoped these tears had been as a result of they care. When you have made a mistake, this stuff occur. You’ll by no means get an 80-minute excellent image.
“That’s why I’m right here as a coach; that’s why the opposite teaching workers are right here and we’ll evaluate this and we’ll transfer ahead as a gaggle.”
Feaunati stars for England
Forward of England’s Six Nations opener in York, John Mitchell spoke brazenly about the necessity to use two groups on the street to his facet’s house World Cup.
In spherical one which resulted in what one journalist described as a ‘scattergun’ choice and a efficiency that was at instances disjointed at LNER Neighborhood Stadium, albeit one which yielded a attempt bonus level inside half-hour.
When you find yourself as dominant because the Crimson Roses are, you typically have to create your individual adversity and Mitchell and his teaching workers will undoubtedly have realized from England’s twenty first straight victory.
Maybe the most important takeaway got here within the type of Maddie Feaunati, the Participant of the Match who proved she will be an choice at No.8.
Feaunati made 16 carries for an incredible 118m – bettered only by Mia Venner’s 151m – while putting in 17 tackles in defence. The find of Mitchell’s first year in charge, this performance suggested she has levels still to climb.
Other experiments did not work quite so well, but there were impressive full debuts for try-scorer Venner and former U20 captain Lilli Ives Campion, who accomplished 18 tackles, and a promising cameo from Jade Shekells.
Mitchell is prone to change issues up once more for subsequent week’s journey to the Principality, however anticipate the England machine to maintain rolling forwards.
