ENGLAND 33 IRELAND 12Ireland had no answer to England’s firepower as the world champions returned to Twickenham to open their Guinness Women’s Six Nations title defence on Saturday. Not that the majority of the 77,120 Women’s Six Nations record crowd minded as their idols ran in five tries to Ireland’s two on a glorious afternoon in south-west London. There had been an ominous sign of what was to come when England’s kick-off was knocked on in the opening play after a miscommunication in the Ireland backfield. Nevertheless, Ireland still had a mountain to climb in the second half, trailing 21-0 at the interval, inside centre Helena Rowland having kicked all three England conversions. Yet England boss John Mitchell’s answer to breaking the deadlock was to thrown his World Cup-winning half-backs, scrum-half Natasha Hunt and fly-half Zoe Harrison.

Source: Irish Examiner April 11, 2026 18:38 UTC