England 38-5 Italy: Red Roses off to winning Women's Six Nations start despite poor second half in York

Claudia MacDonald scored one of six England tries as the Red Roses began their Women's Six Nations campaign with victory

England's Red Roses got off to a winning Women's Six Nations start at home to Italy in their quest for history, but a poor second-half showing will cause head coach John Mitchell much frustration. 

In an eventual 38-5 success in York, the Red Roses scored five tries in the opening half through wing Mia Venner, centre Emily Scarratt, wing Claudia MacDonald and hooker Amy Cokayne, while they were also awarded a penalty try with Italy hooker Laura Gurioli ruled to have changed her bind in a maul.

Italy scored a first-half try through No 8 Francesca Sgorbini and were over again early in the second period through Sgorbini once more, only for a TMO review - three-and-a-half minutes after the score and after even the conversion had been taken - to harshly rule out the try for apparent lineout obstruction several phases earlier.

Full-back Emma Sing scored England's only try of the second half - coming with just a minute to play - and also kicked well off the tee to register three conversions, as the Red Roses march on in seeking a historic fourth Grand Slam in succession.

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England made an ominously dominant start to the contest as Italy struggled to maintain possession, with impressive wing Venner going over for the opening try in the fourth minute down the left, having made the initial break herself down the right.

England wing Mia Venner scored the opening try of the contest in just the fourth minute

Only three minutes later, England's lead was 14-0 as experienced centre Scarratt dived over from close range. A scrum had roared forward for a penalty advantage in midfield, with the hosts lethal from there: Venner again released down the right, pinning her ears back for the corner and only stopped by a despairing tap-tackle. The Red Roses kept the pace of the attack going, though, for Scarratt to touch down.

Sing converted superbly again, and though some plucky Italy defence kept England out for a period thereafter, the visitors were then reduced to 14 players for 10 minutes as Gurioli was picked out by the TMO for changing her bind and denying lock Rosie Galligan from scoring after a maul drive in the 22nd minute.

Experienced centre Emily Scarratt scored a try to put England 14-0 up in the seventh minute

It took England until near the end of that sin-bin period to make their numerical advantage count, but make it count they did when centre Holly Aitchison produced a gorgeous try-assist via a cross-field kick pass for MacDonald to claim and score untouched.

Italy responded down the other end through Sgorbini after a textbook maul drive try, but England would have the final say of the half through Cokayne when Italy disastrously overthrew a lineout five metres from their own try-line.

Amy Cokayne scored England's fifth try of the first half, collecting an overthrown lineout to charge over

Into the second half, Italy proved totally dominant and very unlucky not to be rewarded with a second Sgorbini try after a wealth of pressure - the TMO intervention a bizarre one considering there was far from a clear and obvious offence.

Despite that setback, Italy proved the ones far more on top for the remainder, but deserved further scores alluded them as England's defence just about held firm.

Into the very final stages, replacement England flanker Sadia Kabeya had a try ruled out due to a forward pass, with Sing then finally adding further points in the 79th minute in a move which had Scarratt and impactful prop Sarah Bern to the fore.

Full-back Emma Sing kicked strongly for three conversions, and scored England's only try of the second half with a minute to play

Mitchell: Our execution let us down in the second half

England head coach John Mitchell to BBC Sport...

"It was a good start with some new combinations, we built really good pressure. We lost a bit of momentum at the breakdown and our execution probably let us down a bit, in terms of building pressure in the second half.

"I thought we stayed on top really well in the first half, we tightened them up pretty quickly and were able to stretch them with our width. The lineout was very good as well and I thought we were pretty contestable on the floor and in the air.

"We wanted to build pressure and we have got started with that but Italy threw a few punches at us as well and we had to deal with that.

"If we don't get those how do you learn? I think we will be better for that and next week [against Wales] there will be new combinations again so we have a bit of work to do on cohesion. Hopefully, by the middle of the tournament, we start to come together connection-wise."

Red Roses head coach John Mitchell admitted his side's second-half execution let them down

England captain Zoe Aldcroft to BBC Sport...

"In the first half we came out firing and we created a lot of momentum, but in the second half we needed to keep a bit more pressure on and be a bit more clinical in finishing our sets.

"Italy gained some good momentum in their carries and maybe our defence could have been a bit better.

"We are excited to recharge this week and then play against Wales at the Principality Stadium, where we have never played before."

What's next?

England's Red Roses next travel to face Wales at the Principality Stadium for round two on Saturday March 29 (4.45pm kick-off).

Italy next host Ireland for their round-two clash at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma on Sunday March 30 (3pm kick-off).

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