Six Nations: Bern’s Red Roses triumph, Thomas and Snowsill’s Wales lose

On a cold night at Donnybrook, first half scores from Jess Breach and Sarah McKenna were added to by Sarah Bern, Lark Davies, Katy Daley-Mclean, Zoe Harrison, Emily Scott and Bryony Cleall in the second 40 minutes as the Red Roses ran out comfortable winners.

Bern was in impressive form on her return to the international stage as she showed great pace and power to burst through the Irish defence and score after receiving a neat offload from Poppy Cleall.

Head coach Simon Middleton: "Lots and lots to work on especially with our execution, but both defensively and offensively I thought we'd taken some of the stuff we've been working in training on, so really pleased with that.

"In the second half it was about getting some of the girls off the bench and into international rugby, and getting as many minutes into them as possible.”

Caroline Thomas scored a hat-trick as defending champions France ran in nine tries to defeat Wales in their Women's Six Nations opener.

France secured a bonus point before the interval thanks to Thomas' brace and tries from Safi N'Diaye and Lea Murie.

Wales only points came courtesy of Robyn Wilkins' first-half penalty.

Romane Menager's two tries, a third for Thomas, replacement Doriane Constanty's length of the field try and Murie's second of the evening sealed the win.

Head coach Rowland Phillips: “It’s always difficult after you lose a game by 50 points - that’s not great at all - but I’m so proud of the effort the squad put in when they were under immense pressure from the first minute to the eightieth.

“Some of the things we did weren’t very good and we have a lot to work on, but the character showed character as we didn’t back down from the start right to the very end.”

Upcoming fixtures: 

Italy Women vs Wales Women - Stadio Via den Mar on Saturday, February 9th (8pm)

England Women vs France Women - Castle Park, Doncaster on Sunday, February 10th (12:45pm)