Rampant Red Roses raise same difficult Women’s Six Nations questions in Ireland thrashing

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But entering this game, it had been five years since the visitors last scored a Women’s Six Nations point against the Red Roses, and the divide was all too evident in the opening quarter. open image in gallery England were dominant at Twickenham Where Ireland kicked readily, England ran everything, Holly Aitchison and Meg Jones’ distributing hands stressing the edges of an improved Irish defence nonetheless outmatched against England’s squad of sprinters. Ireland, like everyone bar France in this competition, simply had no match for England’s size and speed, the Red Roses using every inch of the manicured Twickenham lawn. open image in gallery Zoe Aldcroft impressed for England Scott Bemand’s side did at least break their long pointscoring drought in the fixture with a Dannah O’Brien penalty, a green dot on a canvas painted rose red.