Red Roses player ratings v Ireland | 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations

There was nothing overly special about England’s 33-12 win over Ireland to start their 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign.

Perhaps the most special aspect of it was the tournament recored crowd of  77,120 people that filed their way into Allianz Stadium to offer a reminder of the Red Roses’ Women’s Rugby World Cup final seven months ago. Albeit without the intensity of that day in late-September.

Few Red Roses stood head and shoulders above the rest in West London. A strong start for the world champions on home soil, here is how the players rated:

15. Ellie Kildunne – 6

There was a familiar sense of participation when Ellie Kildunne got her hands on the ball at Allianz Stadium. England had a clear plan to involve more of their backline in play, it was hoped Kildunne would be the scalpel in an organised operation. While she finished the match with a well-finished try on the left wing, it should have been two if the former World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year had used two hands to place down the ball instead of one.

14. Jess Breach – 6

It was about as standard an afternoon as you would expect for Jess Breach. In her 80 minute performance the wing scored her 43rd Test try in 54 games. Perhaps there could have been more for Breach, although as England struggled to get their new attack rolling, her influence could not be seen more on proceedings.

13. Meg Jones – 8

Perhaps it was not the perfect first game as Red Roses captain for Meg Jones. But it was a pretty good place to start. In the second half Jones truly sprung to life and provided the kick forward for Breach to pounce upon for England’s first try of the second half. Awarded Player of the Match by the BBC’s commentary team, the 29-year-old’s tenacity shone through – as it generally does – and played a big part in England starting this tournament with a bonus point win.

12. Helena Rowland – 7

Upon signing a new Loughborough Lightning contract several weeks ago Helena Rowland was described as “world class” by her head coach Nathan Smith. Some of the reasons for that was her ability to slot in across the backline. This time around she was put at outside centre and had responsibility for the conversions.

11. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald – 6

Just a second involvement in England’s last seven matches was certainly eventful for Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. She was heavily involved in the action early on and got plenty of the ball in her hands, but did little other than send Sarah Bern over the try line. With injury to Natasha Hunt, Moloney-MacDonald finished the game as England’s scrum-half.

10. Holly Aitchison – 6

Handed a second start in her last five England matches, Aitchison got plenty of time on the ball as this new-look England backline tried to make itself known. In a game largely dominated by the forwards while she was on the field, the 28-year-old’s main involvement was as a distributor and performed her role, rather than taking the contest by the scruff of its neck.

9. Lucy Packer – 5

In a game stacked with businesslike performances, Packer’s was another. There was nothing the Harlequins half-back did particularly wrong. She was hassled at the ruck on two occasions and possibly should have passed instead of making a burst towards the whitewash in the first 40. As Natasha Hunt’s injury in the second half will possibly keep the veteran out, Packer will have to shake off this performance before having a starting role in Scotland.

1. Kelsey Clifford – 5

At last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, Kelsey Clifford was something of a revelation. With every opportunity afforded to her, the Saracens loosehead excelled. On Saturday the chance to continue her Test match excellent was unfulfilled.

2. Amy Cokayne – 7

The game’s opening scorer, Amy Cokayne was the glue that kept England’s lineout functioning across the first 50 minutes. With a new caller at the set-piece, the 29-year-old’s accuracy allowed England to set the foundations for hers and Sarah Bern’s second tries. That unerring accuracy at the lineout and 69 minutes on the park quietly made her one of the top performers in the game.

3. Sarah Bern – 7

There are possibly not too many superlatives left to describe Sarah Bern. For the first 50 minutes at Allianz Stadium we got to see the bulldozing tighthead prop do what she does best. That time on the pitch yielded two tries, the second by virtue of Claudia Moloney-MacDonald’s quick inside ball. There were a couple of vintage carries and a lineout intercept from Bern too, who took the chance of a start by both hands.

4. Morwenna Talling – 5

Morwenna Talling’s biggest strength at the Women’s Rugby World Cup was the metronomic nature of her performances. During her time on the turf it was much of the same from the Sale Sharks forward. Handed a starting role at lock, the 23-year-old left the pitch in tears on the 43-minute mark after she sustained a lower leg injury.

5. Lilli Ives Campion – 7

Coming into the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations there was a lot of attention on Lilli Ives Campion. With the pregnancies of Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, the 22-year-old was suddenly John Mitchell’s senior lock and charged with calling the lineout. England won all but one of their lineouts on Saturday and caused enough disruption to steal two of Ireland’s. A very good start for the Loughborough Lightning forward.

6. Maddie Feaunati – 7

Since she burst onto the scene Maddie Feaunati has been a consistent force for England. There was much of the same in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener as the Exeter Chiefs back-row did everything well in attack and defence. If you ever wanted a player to do things well, Feaunati is the person you would turn to.

7. Sadia Kabeya – 6

A consistent bright spark for England, Kabeya was certainly quieter than her last appearance in an England shirt when she claimed Player of the Match in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final. Even when quiet the flanker performed her role admirably and even had a couple of breaks will ball-in-hand, something we have become accustomed to seeing from the 24-year-old in Premiership Women’s Rugby this season.

8. Alex Matthews – 6

For the full 80 minutes Alex Matthews remained the queen of consistency for the Red Roses. There was nothing flashy or otherworldly that the two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner did, but there was nothing she did wrong.

Replacements

16. Connie Powell – 5

There was nothing too special from Connie Powell as England saw out the game on Saturday afternoon. The hooker came on the pitch with a specific job in mind and completed.

17. Mackenzie Carson – 6

Preferred to Hannah Botterman as the supporting loosehead prop, Carson was faultless after she replaced Clifford, especially after a long injury layoff already this season.

18. Maud Muir – 7

A classically impactful performance from Muir, who carried hard and scrummed well after her 50-minute introduction. Likely to be contending for a starting slot next week, it was an excellent starting point for the tighthead.

19. Haineala Lutui – 6

Thrust into the contest for her international debut off the back of Morwenna Talling’s injury, Lutui was solid in the second row for England. It could even lead to a start next week at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

20. Abi Burton – 6

There is a real chance we will see a lot more from Abi Burton this Women’s Six Nations. It is an exciting prospect as the 26-year-old hardly puts a foot wrong. Overall it was a quiet game from the Trailfinders Women forward.

21. Natasha Hunt – N/A

Natasha Hunt hardly got going before being hauled down in a tackle and not feeling the same afterwards. While the 37-year-old admirably tried to play on, the discomfort was too much and saw her exit the action after 13 minutes.

22. Zoe Harrison – 6

Provided a glorious long pass for Ellie Kildunne’s try. Certainly sped play up after her introduction 50 minutes in.

23. Emma Sing – 5

Only on the pitch for 17 minutes, Sing hardly touched the ball from the replacements and did not have any significant impact.