Women's Six Nations: Wales enjoy perfect start with two wins from two
- Published
Wales celebrate victory in Edinburgh to extend Scotland's winless run to 11 matches
Wales have enjoyed another storming start to the Women's Six Nations, echoing their 2022 exploits with two bonus-point wins from two.
Ioan Cunningham's side backed up a convincing 31-5 victory at home against Ireland before coming away from Scotland with a hard-fought 34-22 win.
The results equal Wales' start last year when they beat the same opposition - but they will be hopeful of a better second half after the tournament's fallow week.
Wales suffered heavy defeats by England and France last year before Italy spoiled the party in Cardiff, but they still managed to finish third in their first year with professional players.
Now, with double the number of contracts, they will be looking to back up their opening victories, starting with the visit of the Red Roses to Cardiff Arms Park on 15 April, with another record crowd anticipated.
"It is going to be an exciting challenge," said Wales head coach Cunningham. "We can't wait. England coming to Cardiff.
"Hopefully we get a massive crowd. It should be a great occasion for us and it's what the players deserve after two good performances and two good wins.
"We have got a good opportunity, but we have to focus on what we can learn from this game and keep building."
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Wales cruised to victory in their opening-round game against Ireland, showing a clinical edge that had been lacking in the last campaign and more recently at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
The bonus point was wrapped up by half-time, and despite them fading in the final quarter, there was plenty to be encouraged by.
Welsh Rugby Union acting chief executive Nigel Walker said it was probably the best 80 minutes he had seen from the side since they turned professional at the start of 2022.
"I was jumping up and down, the same as everybody else in the crowd last week. It was a fantastic performance and a fantastic start for them," Walker said.
As expected, the Scotland game proved much more of an arm-wrestle, with momentum swinging back and forth between the two Celtic rivals.
And while Wales were able to grind out the result, Ffion Lewis once again scoring a late try, their discipline came under the spotlight with a high penalty count and a first-half yellow card.
"We have to look at our discipline and at the type of penalties that we're giving away," said Cunningham.
"It was a lot around the breakdown, the tackler not rolling, those little things we'll have to focus on as we move forward."
Cunningham was also quick to highlight the positives of the first two performances, notably Wales' pack.
It was almost a 'prop show' in Edinburgh, with Gwenllian Pyrs and Sisilia Tuipulotu scoring two tries apiece.
And for Tuipulotu, it is three tries in two games and consecutive player of match awards - not bad for a second-row convert.
"The front five have been excellent," said Cunningham. "Especially Sisilia - she's been awesome in the first two games and given us front-foot ball and an opportunity to go forward and play through teams."
But the teenager remains modest amid all the adulation.
"I am just grateful that I got to play out there to the standard that I did," Tuipulotu said, "but I don't think I would have done it without my team-mates, so the award goes out to them.
"They push me to become stronger.
"With the coaches that I have, I get to be the best that I can.
"My scrums are going well, the set-piece is going well. I just have to believe in myself that I can do it and that my team-mates are behind me."
The Six Nations breaks for a week now, with Wales topping the Six Nations table before England played Italy.
With a maximum 10 points on the board, Wales will fancy their chances of causing a major upset when England come to town.
Their last victory over the old rivals was back in 2015.
"We know England are going to be dominant, but I think this is our best chance to go out there, really give a performance and go for the win," said Wales captain Hannah Jones.
