Women’s Six Nations: Ten-try England cruise to 62-24 victory over Wales

An eighth successive Women’s Six Nations defeat – shipping 62 points in the process – leaves Wales in fifth, one point clear of bottom side Italy.

How do you put a positive spin on that? Well, the overwhelmingly grim statistics haunting Wales do not tell the full story.

Before the game, head coach Sean Lynn called on his players to show grit, intensity, and resilience – and they delivered that in spades.

After struggling to get out of their half in the opening 15 minutes, Wales wrestled back momentum to finish the half with 50% possession, two tries on the board, and England scratching their heads as to how to neutralise their line-out.

Early in the second half, Jaz Joyce pulled off a try-saving tackle to deny Ellie Kildunne, and they limited the damage to just one try when down to 14 players after Kayleigh Powell was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

The two late tries, which not only secured the bonus point but also meant Wales registered their highest score against England, were just reward.

And you could see what it meant to the players. Bevan, who burst through England’s defence in an individual moment of magic to secure the field position for her opening try, was mobbed by not only the other 14 players on the field but also five orange-bibbed substitutes. The bonus point was greeted with hugs all round.

Yes, this was another heavy defeat. Yes, there were messy moments and individual errors, including multiple charged-down kicks, a restart going out of play, and overthrown line-outs.

But this is a side taking strides in the right direction.