England Women are three from three in the Women’s Six Nations after producing a ruthless nine-try win against Wales in Cardiff.
There were first-half doubles for the standout Sarah Bern and Jess Breach at Cardiff Arms Park and England skipper Abbie Scott also touched down, with Jess Kavanagh’s excellent finish getting Wales on the board.
The third quarter was intense but scoreless before Cath O’Donnell, Abi Dow and Sarah Beckett put the result beyond Wales.
The hosts kept fighting and replacement Cerys Hale barged over three minutes from time, with fly-half Katy Daley-Mclean stepping over for England’s ninth at the death, as they move up to 15 points in the table.
The Red Roses started like a house on fire and got the opener on three minutes as prop Bern burrowed over from short distance, followed by Breach dotting down in the corner minutes later.
It was forward power again that got England’s third with a series of drives eventually seeing skipper Scott power over from short distance.
The bonus-point score from the visitors was a real thing of beauty as Bern surged into the 22 at pace before producing an outrageous sidestep to pass full-back Elinor Snowsill and go in under the posts.
Not be outdone, Breach completed her double on the half-hour and in no less style, picking up a loose pass out wide before ghosting through the defence to dot down.
Wales rallied though and got their first score before the half was out, fighting their way into the 22 before passing out wide to Kavanagh, who stepped back inside off her left foot to deceive three defenders and open up her path to the line.
England led 29-5 at the break and both sides continued to fire shots at each other in an intense third quarter, with Bern continuing to rampage through the defence.
The English prop thought she had her hat-trick 15 minutes into the second period only for it to be ruled out for a knock-on, but England did get their sixth on the hour as O’Donnell bulldozed over from two yards out.
The scintillating tries continued to flow as Dow added her name to the scorers, the flying wing collecting the ball on halfway before displaying electric speed down the right to buzz past three defenders.
Sarah Beckett added the visitors’ eighth before Hale fired back for Wales, with Daley-Mclean’s late score the reward for her excellent playmaking performance.
