Whereas the final spherical of video games was notable for the talent and guile on present from the Six Nations’ star gamers, maybe the eye-catching function of this week’s motion was the significance of energy and physicality.
That theme was personified by England prop Sarah Bern, who broke Eire’s will on Saturday as she ran in two tries to silence the critics who railed in opposition to her post-match TikTok dance a fortnight in the past.
Elsewhere, Italy earned a well-known win over an out-of-sorts Scotland, a day after France proved an excessive amount of for Wales.
The narratives surrounding this 12 months’s championship are narrowing to a effective level, with England’s potential title-decider in opposition to France at Twickenham looming within the not-too-distant future.
This is all the things that occurred in an action-packed weekend.
TOP STORY: England dent Irish goals
All of the discuss heading into Saturday’s conflict in Cork was about whether or not Eire’s enchancment over the previous 12 months would show sufficient to fret John Mitchell’s imperious England facet. In any case, Eire had crushed world champions New Zealand at WXV1 in October and routed Italy in Parma to document a primary away win within the Six Nations since 2021.
And so they began effectively, rebuffing the Pink Roses’ vaunted assault with a present of gutsy defence that appeared as if it might hassle England’s 22-match profitable streak. Roared on by a document residence crowd, Eire’s efforts paid off when Amee-Leigh Costigan put them in entrance with the nation’s first attempt in opposition to England in additional than six years.
However fast-forward to full-time and England had crashed over the whitewash seven occasions and prolonged their profitable run over their opponents past the 10-year mark.
A triple change 5 minutes into the second half when the groups had been separated by solely 9 factors proved pivotal as Mitchell swapped out his entrance row. His introduction of Amy Cokayne, Kelsey Clifford and Bern was made with the goal of battering Eire into submission, and so it proved as Bern opened the floodgates with two tries earlier than Clifford added considered one of her personal within the closing phases to place some gloss on the ultimate rating.
England’s first-half struggles will little doubt have proved a helpful expertise for the crew as they proceed their preparations for a World Cup tilt on residence soil this summer time.
Eire will look again painfully on the bruising 40 minutes they endured on Saturday afternoon, however their first-half show proved they’re able to troubling the very best sides on this planet.
“We all know we’re not good but. We all know we’re writing the story that we’re attempting to develop and attempting to shut gaps on England and France,” Eire coach Scott Bemand advised the BBC.
“There’s bits to go to shut on these prime two however we’ll preserve going at it and we consider it’s attainable.” — Tom Chambers
Spherical 3 scores
France 42-12 Wales
France stored alive their hopes of a primary Six Nations triumph since 2018 as they outclassed a spirited Wales facet on Saturday.
After lacking final week’s win, Émilie Boulard returned for the hosts in Brive and the fullback made her presence generally known as she touched over twice earlier than halftime. Regardless of the ultimate rating, Wales’ two scores stored them inside touching distance on the break, however in an analogous theme to the win over Scotland final week, the French pulled away within the second half so as to add some gloss to the outcome.
Les Bleues are on target for a championship decider in opposition to England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in a fortnight’s time, whereas Wales are nonetheless on the lookout for their first win beneath new head coach Sean Lynn.
Eire 5-49 England
Midway by means of the competition in Cork, it appeared as if Eire had an opportunity of avenging their 88-10 drubbing at Twickenham in final 12 months’s championship however a second-half demolition job from the Pink Roses put paid to that notion.
Costigan did make historical past, although, by turning into the primary Irish girl to attain a attempt in opposition to the Pink Roses since 2019 because the crew’s went into the break separated by simply two factors because the hosts’ defence stood agency.
However England’s superior health and power in depth simply proved an excessive amount of ultimately as Mitchell’s facet powered residence six tries within the second interval to conquer any hopes of a well-known Irish victory.
Scotland 17-25 Italy
Italy earned a memorable win over Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday which condemned the hosts to their second defeat of the championship forward of a daunting-looking fixture in opposition to England subsequent weekend.
In contrast, Italy’s victory — their first of this 12 months’s match — served to carry them off the underside of the desk and as much as fourth place.
Chloe Rollie had given Scotland an early lead within the contest, however Italy struck again with two scores of their very own to take a slender lead into the break. Second-half tries from Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Alyssa D’Inca and a late rating from Aura Muzzo had been sufficient to carry off Scotland’s problem.
Greatest moments:
Boulard again with a bang
Émilie Boulard crossed the whitewash twice in opposition to Wales, together with her first coming by way of a shocking diagonal from fly-half Carla Arbez that left the fullback with little to do. Boulard then confirmed outstanding dealing with expertise to collect the ball and dive over for her second 11 minutes later.
Le premier essai du match est pour les Bleues 💙
Quelle diagonale au pied de Carla Arbez pour son ailière Émilie Boulard 🔥
📺 France TV#FRAGAL | #SixNationsRugby pic.twitter.com/svagkIeAyH
— Six Nations (FR) (@SixNations_FR) April 12, 2025
Costigan breaks England hoodoo
Earlier than struggling a six-try second-half mauling on Sunday, Eire put in a 40-minute efficiency to be pleased with in opposition to England in Cork by which Amee-Leigh Costigan scored their first attempt in opposition to the Pink Roses in 6½ years.
🤩 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐞-𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧 ☘️
The primary @IrishRugby girl to attain a attempt in opposition to England in 6 and a half years 💪😎#GuinnessW6N pic.twitter.com/8s3F0IJUtl
— Guinness Ladies’s Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) April 12, 2025
MOMENT 3
Aura Muzzo finishes off Italy transfer
Inside centre Aura Muzzo was Scotland’s tormenter-in-chief throughout Italy’s win in Edinburgh. She offered the incision on the finish of a bruising Italy transfer to attain her first of the afternoon.
Che azione dell’Italia 🔥
Aura Muzzo conclude in meta per le Azzurre 🇮🇹#GuinnessW6N @Womens6Nations pic.twitter.com/wRiEFQFvIq
— Guinness Sei Nazioni (@SeiNazioniRugby) April 13, 2025
Up subsequent in Spherical 4:
Italy vs. France
When: Saturday, April 19 at 1 p.m. BST
The place: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
England vs. Scotland
When: Saturday, April 19 at 4.45 p.m. GMT
The place: Mattioli Woods Welford Highway Stadium, Leicester
Wales vs. Eire
When: Sunday, April 20 at 3 p.m. BST
The place: Rodney Parade, Newport
– 5 gamers to observe through the Ladies’s Six Nations
– Ladies’s Six Nations full fixture checklist
– Males’s Six Nations Grades: England get A; Eire want transition
