Ellie Kildunne marked her 50th cap by scoring a hat-trick of tries as England took another step towards retaining the Guinness Women’s Six Nations title by crushing Wales 67-12 in Cardiff.
The Red Roses full-back completed her treble in just eight second-half minutes as England cruised home at the Principality Stadium.
Elsewhere on the second weekend of the championship, France eased to victory against Scotland and Ireland swept to a 54-12 win over Italy.
England squad news
Mia Venner has been named in England’s Women’s Six Nations squad alongside 10 other Gloucester-Hartpury team-mates who completed a Premiership Women’s Rugby ‘three-peat’ earlier this month.
Venner, who earned her solitary England cap in the 2020 championship as a 17-year-old, has established herself as one of the most dangerous attacking talents in the English top flight this season.
Almost a third of John Mitchell’s 37-player England squad for the championship are members of the Gloucester-Hartpury side that beat Saracens in the PWR final.
Georgia Brock, the Cherry and Whites’ combative openside, has also been called up to her maiden Six Nations squad after being involved in the Red Roses’ WXV victorious campaign last year, while Jade Shekells, who has been competing for Great Britain in the World Sevens Series, is also included.
There is no place for Bristol’s teenage winger Millie David, who had featured in the Red Roses’ wider training squad for the tournament, while Harlequins hooker Connie Powell is a surprising omission.
What are England’s fixtures?
-
Sunday, March 23: England 38 Italy 5
-
Saturday, March 29: Wales 12 England 67
-
Saturday, April 12: Ireland v England, 4.45pm
-
Saturday, April 19: England vs Scotland, 4.45pm
-
Saturday, April 26: England vs France, 4.45pm
Venues for England’s fixtures
England are taking their home Six Nations fixtures across the country this year.
The Red Roses played at a 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup venue in round one as York’s LNER Community Stadium hosted their win over Italy.
The stadium, home of National League football club York City, is among eight venues for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England next year.
After Six Nations away games against Wales and Ireland, the Red Roses then tackle Scotland at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in Leicester on April 19 before hosting France at the renamed Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, a week later on April 26.
2025 Women’s Six Nations fixtures
Round one
Saturday, March 22: Ireland 15 France 27
Saturday, March 22: Scotland 24 Wales 21
Sunday, March 23: England 38 Italy 5
Round two
Saturday, March 29: France 38 Scotland 15
Three tries in seven minutes and the first Women’s Six Nations dropped goal in more than decade helped France ease to a 38-15 win over Scotland.
The Scots had limited France to a single try, from Carla Arbez, in the first half and scored one of their own when Emma Orr profited from a French knock-on as they trailed just 13-7 at the break.
However, Manae Feleu’s side drew on the energy of the sell-out crowd in La Rochelle to pull away in the second 40 minutes. A penalty from Morgane Bourgeois and a dropped goal from Pauline Bourdon Sansus – incredibly, the first in the women’s championship for 11 years – extended the hosts’ lead, then came the tries.
Back rows Teani Feleu and Seraphine Okemba both crossed within three minutes of the hour mark as France found space out wide with crisp offloads. Four minutes later, Bourgeois took her points tally to 20 when converting her own bonus-point try.
Captain Feleu hailed the 15,000 spectators, saying: “The atmosphere was incredible. It felt like we had a 16th player on the team.”
Elis Martin did deliver a second try for Scotland from a driving maul once the clock was in the red, but the game was already done.
“It’s really tough,” said Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm. “At half-time there was a real energy about us but in the 20 minutes after half-time they turned it up a notch and we didn’t really react. We showed today we can compete against the best but if we don’t concentrate and keep our intensity at 100 per cent for the 85 minutes teams will punish us.
“I’m proud of the effort and to score a try at the death shows what this team is all about.”
Saturday, March 29: Wales 12 England 67
Sunday, March 30: Italy 12 Ireland 54
Round three
Saturday, April 12: France 42 Wales 12
France overpowered Wales in Brive to maintain their winning start to the Women’s Six Nations.
The French had opted for a 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench, and their physicality told in the second half as they pulled away while keeping the visitors scoreless.
Wales – in their third match under new coach Sean Lynn – had kept in touch with France in the first half. Emilie Boulard’s two early tries were cancelled out by Kate Williams and Gwen Crabb before hooker Manon Bigot crossed from a line-out drive shortly before the break to give the hosts a 21-12 lead.
The French power game came to the fore in the second 40, though. Tries from captain Manae Feleu and Lea Champon book-ended the half, both scored after a series of strong carries stretched the Welsh defence. In between those scores, France were awarded a penalty try after a dominant scrum forced Wales onto the back foot and Maisie Davies infringed.
Saturday, April 12: Ireland v England, 4.45pm, Virgin Media Park, Cork (BBC Two)
Sunday, April 13: Scotland v Italy, 3pm, Hive Stadium (BBC iPlayer)
Round four
Saturday, April 19: Italy v France, 1pm, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (BBC iPlayer)
Saturday, April 19: England v Scotland, 4.45pm, Mattioli Woods Welford Road (BBC Two)
Sunday, April 20: Wales v Ireland, 3pm, Rodney Parade, Newport (BBC iPlayer)
Round five
Saturday, April 26: Italy v Wales, 12.15pm, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (BBC iPlayer)
Saturday, April 26: Scotland v Ireland, 2.30pm, Hive Stadium (BBC iPlayer)
Saturday, April 26: England v France, 4.45pm, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (BBC Two)
How to watch the Women’s Six Nations on TV
BBC Sport is broadcasting coverage of the tournament across linear channels, with every match also available to watch live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. The live coverage is presented by Gabby Logan and Sonja McLaughlan.
The deal means there will also be content across BBC Scotland, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland.
France Télévisions will cover the tournament for audiences in France, Virgin Media and RTE both offer coverage of fixtures in Ireland and Sky Italia’s broadcast coverage continues their support of women’s rugby in Italy.
