Scotland 5-57 England: Marlie Packer scores hat-trick as Red Roses score nine tries in Women's Six Nations win
Red Roses score nine tries in total at DAM Health Stadium; Marlie Packer (three), Poppy Cleall, Heather Cowell, Abby Dow, Leanne Infante, Holly Aitchison and Connie Powell; Scotland's only points came via a try for full-back Chloe Rollie
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 26/03/22 9:07pm
England openside Marlie Packer scored a hat-trick as the Red Roses cruised to an opening 57-5 Six Nations victory over Scotland in Edinburgh.
The visitors notched nine tries in total at the DAM Health Stadium, coming through Packer (three), flanker Poppy Cleall, wing Heather Cowell, wing Abby Dow, scrum-half Leanne Infante, centre Holly Aitchison and replacement hooker Connie Powell.
Outside-centre Emily Scarratt added five conversions, and Helena Rowland one. For Scotland, their only points came via a try for full-back Chloe Rollie, though they were unfortunate not to score more.
Scotland 5-52 England - Score summary
Scotland - Tries: Rollie (16). England - Tries: Packer (9, 29, 65), Cleall (13), Cowell (21), Dow (25), Infante (40+2), Aitchison (52), Powell (62). Cons: Scarratt (10, 14, 25, 40+3, 53), Rowland (63).
The victory sees England rack up a 19th successive Test victory, and make the ideal start to their Six Nations title defence, having claimed the championship in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Scotland made the brighter start to proceedings, but a poor strike and miss from fly-half Helen Nelson with a penalty saw them go unrewarded.
As it was, England took the lead with virtually their first attack on nine minutes as after scrum-half Infante quick-tapped and ran a penalty to get right up to the Scotland line, where openside Packer got over from close range.
Team News
England welcomed back Emily Scarratt at 13 after 11 months out with a broken leg. Sarah Hunter captained the side from No 8, Maud Muir started at loosehead prop, while Marlie Packer started at openside to earn her 80th cap. Helena Rowland started ahead of Zoe Harrison at fly-half.
For Scotland, Hannah Smith came in at inside-centre in the only change from their World Cup playoff victory vs Colombia, with Helen Nelson switching to fly-half and Sarah Law dropping to the bench. No 8 Jade Konkel, who missed last year as she completed her training with London Fire Brigade, picked up her 50th cap.
Less than four minutes later, England had their second as blindside flanker Cleall - 2021's Six Nations player of the tournament - powered over after taking in a Rosie Galligan offload.
Scotland hit back soon after with their first try of the championship as full-back Rollie finished a superb attacking move across the pitch, but the score went unconverted as Nelson hooked the conversion.
England wing Cowell got England back on track with their third try in the corner after a huge Maud Muir carry in the lead-up before opposite wing Dow wrapped up the bonus point on 25 minutes through a stunning individual effort as she handed off Rhona Lloyd before searing in.
Packer grabbed her second try just shy of the half-hour as she dived over after a rolling maul had romped forward.
Scotland knocked on deep in England half with less than 30 seconds of half to go and would pay dearly for it, as once a scrum penalty was forced, England kicked to touch and prop Sarah Bern did the rest, dummying and charging forward before offloading for Infante to score two minutes into dead time of the first half.
Scarratt's conversion left England 38-5 up at half-time, but Scotland started the stronger in the second period and were very unfortunate not to be awarded a Rachel McLaughlan try - referee Joy Neville ruling out the score for a knock on, despite replays seeming to show the ball had been tapped back by England.
Neville also refused to show England a yellow card despite repeated infringements near to their own line, and it was the visitors who would score next as centre Aitchison collect a Helena Rowland chip kick.
England near enough emptied their bench just after the hour, and it paid immediate dividends as replacement hooker Powell got over after a rolling maul.
Packer claimed her hat-trick score with 15 minutes to go, which was awarded after a TMO review cleared a potential knock on at the previous ruck.
Down the other end, England were fortunate again to avoid a sin-binning as another flurry of penalties saw referee Neville avoid taking further action.
What's next?
England next travel to face Italy in Round 2 on Sunday April 3, where they play at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma (3pm kick-off GMT).
Scotland travel to face Wales in Round 2 on Saturday April 2, in a Test that will be played at Cardiff Arms Park (4.45pm kick-off GMT).
