2026 Women's Six Nations: Round 1 Recap - England start title defence in front of record crowd

All the matches were stacked end-to-end upon a 'Super Saturday' card, to kick-start the competition with a bang - France hosted Italy in Grenoble and Wales took on Scotland in Cardiff. In this article, we have you covered with a full recap of what went down, in case you missed any of the action from Round 1.

France overcame a ferocious early challenge to power past Italy 40-7 in Grenoble, kicking off their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a bonus-point victory. Italy dominated the opening exchanges, pinning France deep in their own half and controlling territory for long periods. The Azzurre’s breakdown work and physicality disrupted the hosts, forcing Les Bleues into heavy defensive duties and limiting their attacking opportunities.

Despite the pressure, France struck first with their initial visit to the Italian 22. Debutant Anaïs Grando finished a slick move to give the hosts a narrow lead, but handling errors and ill-discipline prevented them from building further momentum before the break. The second half told a completely different story. France returned with greater composure and tempo, quickly extending their lead through Carla Arbez before a dominant forward display took control of the contest.

Assia Khalfaoui proved instrumental, earning Player of the Match honours and powering over for the crucial bonus-point try following a relentless rolling maul. With confidence flowing, France added further scores through Yllana Brosseau, Léa Murie and debutant Pauline Barrat as their attacking game opened up. Italy grabbed a late consolation through Gaia Buso, but the second-half surge from France underlined their quality as they began a new era under François Ratier in emphatic fashion.

France: 40
Tries: Grando, Arbez, Brosseau, Khalfaoui, Murie, Barrat

Italy: 7
Try: Buso

England opened their Women’s Six Nations title defence with a controlled 33-12 victory over Ireland in front of a record Women's Six Nations crowd, as 77,120 watched on at Allianz Stadium, extending their remarkable winning run to 34 Tests.

The Red Roses asserted their dominance early through their powerful pack, with Amy Cokayne finishing from a driving maul before Sarah Bern powered over twice in the first half. Despite some early handling errors – most notably Ellie Kildunne spilling the ball over the line – England remained firmly in control, taking a 21-0 lead into the break.

Jess Breach secured the bonus point early in the second half, racing onto a well-weighted kick, before Kildunne made amends for her earlier mistake with a composed finish. England’s attacking shape and physicality ensured they never looked under serious pressure.

Ireland, however, showed clear signs of progress. Anna McGann crossed for their first try before captain Erin King added a late second, rewarding a resilient defensive effort and improved composure against the world champions. While England’s dominance never looked in doubt, Ireland’s second-half response offered encouragement as they aim to close the gap on the tournament favourites.

England: 33
Tries: Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern (2), Jess Breach, Ellie Kildunne
Conversions: Zoe Harrison Rowland 4/5

Ireland: 12
Tries: Anna McGann, Erin King
Conversions: Dannah O’Brien 1/2

Scotland edged a tense and physical contest to claim a 24-19 victory over Wales, marking a winning start under new head coach Sione Fukofuka and extending their dominance in this fixture to five straight wins.

Wales made the brighter start and showed clear improvement, with Kelsey Jones finishing from a rolling maul before Sisilia Tuipulotu powered over to give the hosts a 12-5 lead. Scotland responded through Chloe Rollie’s well-worked try and a late Helen Nelson penalty to keep themselves within touching distance at the break.

The momentum swung decisively after half-time. Shona Campbell capitalised on a loose Welsh error to regain the lead, before a moment of quality saw Lucia Scott collect a pinpoint kick and step through the defence to stretch Scotland’s advantage.

Wales refused to fade, with captain Kate Williams crashing over to set up a nervy finish. Roared on by the Principality Stadium crowd, the hosts pushed deep into stoppage time, but crucial errors at the set-piece denied them a late comeback. Despite the defeat, Wales showed significant progress, while Scotland’s clinical second-half display proved the difference in a hard-fought encounter.

Wales: 19
Tries: Kelsey Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Kate Williams
Conversions: Keira Bevan 2/3

Scotland: 24
Tries: Chloe Rollie, Shona Campbell, Lucia Scott
Conversions: Helen Nelson 3/3
Penalties: Nelson