Summary

  • England thrash Italy 55-0 at Exeter's Sandy Park

  • England seal fourth bonus-point win in front of 10,545 record crowd

  • England victory all-but guarantees Women's Six Nations title

  • They face struggling Scotland for Grand Slam at Twickenham next Saturday

  • Bern, Packer, Cornborough, Breach, Scott & Fleetwood tries in second half

  • Breach, Davies & Packer gave England 21-0 half-time lead

  • England's record home crowd for non-World Cup game

  1. Postpublished at 76 mins

    England 48-0 Italy

    Eight tries are clearly not enough. Replacement Poppy Cleall carries and England are swiftly up into Italy's half.

  2. 'England deliver again'published at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2019

    England 48-0 Italy

    Heather Fisher
    2014 Women's World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That's an excellent try. England know if they get a penalty or line-out in the opposite 22, they know they can deliver.

    For Italy, to be behind those sticks again is a hard, hard place to be, but they should be proud of how they have played today.

  3. try

    Try - England 48-0 Italypublished at 74 mins

    Abbie Scott

    Eight tries!

    Botterman's eagerness pays off as England go straight into a maul off the line-out. Abbie Scott is controlling it from the back and easily hops over the try-line.

    Katy Daley-Mclean edges just left of the posts. The big 50 still eludes England, but they are heading for their first clean sheet of this year's competition.

    Abbie ScottImage source, Reuters
  4. Postpublished at 73 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    Play has slowed down a bit but prop Hannah Botterman is raring to go. She's the first player waiting in the line-out while all the other players are in a huddle.

  5. Postpublished at 73 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    It's quick play from England as they zip the ball out to the left wing.

    Emily Scott takes a hit as she goes for an offload and her pass goes into touch.

  6. Postpublished at 71 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    Jess Breach comes off her wing and drags England up to the 22 in the midfield, but Italy turn the ball over.

    In a flash, Breach is suddenly back on the right wing chasing a loose ball, but knocks on.

  7. 'Fantastic job by England'published at 13:40 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2019

    England 43-0 Italy

    Heather Fisher
    2014 Women's World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    England have done a fantastic job in this Six Nations, with new players, and a new forwards coach.

    There's been a lot going in the camp, so to deliver, and you can only play the opposition in front of you, they have done very well.

  8. Postpublished at 70 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    If England can score another couple of tries in the next 10 minutes, it will be the third time they've scored more than 50 points this Six Nations.

    They've got a good chance as Katy Daley-Mclean kicks to touch to give England a line-out on Italy's 10m line.

  9. Postpublished at 68 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    England look keen to give those fans another try, but Sarah McKenna knocks on on the left wing.

    Italy scrum just inside their own half.

  10. Postpublished at 65 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    The stadium announcer informs us that today's attendance is 10,545. That's a huge record for a non-World Cup game, over double the previous number.

    Sandy ParkImage source, Getty Images
  11. Postpublished at 65 mins

    England 43-0 Italy

    I was honestly a bit worried for England in the first 20 minutes of this game, but I obviously shouldn't have been.

    To have scored seven tries against this Italy defence is so impressive. It really shows what professional contracts can do for women's rugby.

    England have looked like a professional side today.

  12. 'More great play from England'published at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2019

    England 43-0 Italy

    Heather Fisher
    2014 Women's World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's great play off the back of the scrum, then Jess Breach had a two versus one but she decided to take on herself, and she managed to stay on the pitch.

  13. try

    Try - England 43-0 Italypublished at 63 mins

    Jess Breach

    Who else?

    Jess Breach had a two on one there but she rightly backed herself.

    She easily steps round tackles to go over in the right corner. She's averaged three tries per game in her last six games. Just incredible.

    Katy Daley-Mclean will wish she'd not dotted down in the corner though, as she misses a tough conversion from the right touchline.

    Jess BreachImage source, Getty Images
  14. Replacementpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2019

    England 38-0 Italy

    That's Vickii Cornborough's last act as she is replaces by rising star Hannah Botterman.

    Emily Scott comes on for Kelly Smith and Sarah Bern is replaced by Shaunagh Brown.

    There's so much fire power on England's bench, every single one of those players will have an impact.

  15. 'England are a real unit'published at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2019

    England 38-0 Italy

    Heather Fisher
    2014 Women's World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's great to see the girls behind each other, there's no selfishness, no white-line fever and great to see them working for a common goal.

    It's good to see what the players coming off the bench have had to offer.

  16. try

    Try - England 38-0 Italypublished at 59 mins

    Vickii Cornborough

    'Heeeeeeeeave' says Sandy Park.

    And England do heave. They heave right over the try-line.

    Vickii Cornborough scores her third try in 45 appearances. Wonder how much she resents Jess Breach's 17 tries in just six England games.

    Katy Daley-Mclean's conversion swings right.

  17. Postpublished at 58 mins

    England 33-0 Italy

    England's forwards take the ball over the try-line but can't ground the ball so the referee calls us back for an earlier penalty.

    England line-out on the 5m line.

  18. Postpublished at 57 mins

    England 33-0 Italy

    But Sarah Bern picks things up again!

    The prop has come to life in this second half and takes England to within five metres.

  19. Postpublished at 57 mins

    England 33-0 Italy

    Beatrice Rigoni carries before putting up a lovely back-handed offload to centre Jessica Busato. Italy knock on this time though.

    It was a rapid first 15 minutes from England but play has gotten a bit scrappy again now. Is there something in the Devonshire air? There have been so many errors in this game.

  20. Postpublished at 55 mins

    England 33-0 Italy

    England are troubling Italy's defence much more now. Emily Scarratt breaks through first, before Abbie Scott takes the Red Roses up to Italy's 10m line.

    But Sarah Beckett takes a big hit and knocks the ball on.