England thrash Wales 62-24 but ‘muted’ response raises Six Nations concerns
England secured a fifth consecutive Women’s Six Nations Triple Crown by defeating Wales 62-24 in Bristol, yet a muted dressing room reaction highlighted lingering concerns over performance standards and tournament predictability.
The defending champions crossed the try line 10 times in front of a record crowd to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.
Head coach John Mitchell’s side now sit top of the table with maximum points from three matches as they pursue a record eighth straight title.
Wales expose defensive frailties
Despite the emphatic scoreline, the post-match atmosphere reflected a squad fully aware of their own shortcomings.
The visitors managed to score four tries against the Red Roses, securing a valuable bonus point in the process.
Two of those Welsh scores arrived in the final 10 minutes, exposing a worrying lapse in concentration from the tournament hosts.
Poor discipline also plagued the home side, who conceded nine penalties and produced several uncharacteristic handling errors.
Scarratt reflects on muted reaction
Attack coach Emily Scarratt admitted that the squad felt disappointed by their inability to dictate the entire contest.
You’re always in a Test match when you play a team like Wales. I thought they really brought it today and posed some different challenges for us, which is pretty awesome in our development.
Emily Scarratt
We still got a pretty good job done. There’s a muted sense in the group, which is obviously a really good feeling when you put a score on like that.
Emily Scarratt
Mitchell echoed these sentiments, noting that the stubborn Welsh resistance had genuinely surprised his undefeated outfit.
Dominance sparks predictability debate
The Red Roses currently boast a remarkable 37-match winning streak in the Six Nations, having not lost a championship fixture since a 2018 defeat to France.
During this historic run, they have averaged over 53 points per game while routinely keeping opposition teams in single figures.
This year alone, the team has registered 179 points and 27 tries despite missing over a dozen key players to injury and retirement.
While such overwhelming superiority is statistically impressive, it continues to fuel debates about the long-term competitive health of the international women’s game.
