2016 Women's Six Nations: Scotland Women 0-32 England Women

World champions England were too strong for battling Scotland as they opened the 2016 Women's Six Nations with a five-try victory in Cumbernauld.

Saracens' Lauren Cattell and flanker Harriet Millar-Mills of Lichfield crossed for England during a first half in which Scotland defended vigorously.

England eased clear after the break as Millar-Mills powered through from 25 metres out for a 20-0 lead.

A driving maul set up Sarah Hunter's try and Lucy Demaine added the fifth.

For England and head coach Scott Bemand the target is to improve dramatically on last season's fourth-place finish in the competition.

Failure to emerge from Broadwood without maximum points against a team seeking its first Six Nations win since 2010 would have been a major surprise.

But Scotland, now coached by former international lock Shade Munro, were fierce in the tackle in the opening quarter and almost made it to the half-hour mark before conceding.

With Scotland exposed, England launched a counter-attack through Amy Cokayne, who fed Cattell on the right to cross the line.

England's Harriet Millar-Mills, playing at blind-side flanker then number eight, was the outstanding player on the night

England missed the conversion and Scotland were fortunate not to drop further behind when Bristol's Amber Reed screwed a penalty wide from 25m.

Though Scotland seldom threatened the visitors' defensive line, their bite in the tackle and willingness to scrap made it a decent contest.

But after 33 minutes the impressive Millar-Mills barrelled over the line, and number 10 Reed made sure of the conversion.

Thereafter Scotland had their best attacking spell in the match, with Lisa Martin's eye-catching dummy and run through a gap in the white shirts offering hope to the home fans.

Soon after the restart Scotland hooker Lana Skeldon pulled a straightforward penalty wide of the posts and with it drifted her team's best chance of getting on the scoresheet.

As Scotland's defence tired, Millar-Mills breezed through to score her second try and Hunter made the most of England's power in the driving maul for the fourth try. Both conversions were missed.

Scotland number eight Jade Konkel burst through to within five metres of the try line before being brought down to the artificial surface and the subsequent loose passing characterised the hosts' lack of composure in attack.

England's final score came from Demaine's charge-down of a Martin clearance, and Cattell converted.

Next for England is another away match, to face Italy a week on Saturday, while Scotland play Wales at The Gnoll the following day.

Line-ups

Scotland: Chloe Rollie, Megan Gaffney, Hannah Smith, Lisa Thomson, Rhona Lloyd, Lisa Martin, Sarah Law; Jade Konkel, Karen Dunbar, Jemma Forsyth, Deborah McCormack, Emma Wassell, Lindsey Smith, Lana Skeldon, Tracy Balmer.

Replacements: Sarah Quick, Debbie Falconer, Heather Lockhart, Fiona Sim, Anna Stodter, Jennifer Maxwell, Lauren Harris, Eilidh Sinclair.

England: Katie Mason, Ruth Laybourn, Lauren Cattell, Ceri Large, Lotte Clapp, Amber Reed, La Toya Mason; Sarah Hunter, Izzy Noel-Smith, Harriet Millar-Mills, Emily Braund, Abbie Scott, Vickii Cornborough, Amy Cokayne, Rochelle Clark.

Replacements: Heather Kerr, Emma Croker, Bee Dawson, Courtney Gill, Poppy Cleall, Bianca Blackburn, Lucy Demaine, Leanne Riley.