Red Roses player ratings v Italy | 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations

England’s Red Roses produced another dominant performance against Italy in Parma.

By full-time the world champions were comfortable 61-33 winners in a match where power and depth once again proved decisive.

Italy started with more ambition than in previous meetings and managed to create a few dangerous moments and some bright spells with ball in hand, but England’s physical edge, set-piece control, and clinical finishing quickly took over.

At half-time, the Red Roses led 40–19 and the fixture had that familiar Red Roses feel; huge physical dominance up front, clinical finishing, and loads of pressure forcing Italy into mistakes.

The Red Roses will be disappointed with their leaky defence, which has seen their opposition breach the whitewash nine times across the past two matches.

15. Emma Sing – 6

Sing quietly had an effective game today, even if she wasn’t one of the headline names. She carried strongly in broken play. Her kick returns were calm and controlled. She linked nicely with the back three. The combination with Ellie Kildunne and Mia Venner looked increasingly settled as the match went on. She showed good composure under the high ball too.

14. Mia Venner – 7

Mia Venner played well and scored a decent try on the occasion of her fourth Test cap. She linked nicely with Emma Sing and Helena Rowland in the backs. A relatively error free game. Overall, a performance she can be pleased with.

13. Megan Jones – 5

She made some big hits in the first half. She had some powerful runs and was unlucky not to get onto the end of her grubber kick in tandem with Helena Rowland. Looked sharp defensively and performed her role well.

12. Helena Rowland – 6

On her 50th cap Helena Rowland scored a try on the 11th minute. She was replaced on the 50 minute mark after carrying well in the midfield and kept getting England over the gainline. Defensively she was solid too. Italy had some dangerous moments out wide, but Rowland generally shut down space well in the 12 channel.

11. Ellie Kildunne – 6

Did the basics well. She set up a lovely try for Helena Rowland. She was involved in several of England’s best attacking passages, especially down the left edge where England repeatedly broke Italy’s shape However she did get a yellow card which saw Italy awarded a penalty try in the first half.

10. Zoe Harrison – 7

Zoe Harrison was excellent today – probably the player who controlled the match more than anyone else. Her kicking game was central to England pulling Italy apart early on. The cross-kick for Marlie Packer’s opening try was superb – she spotted the narrow defence instantly and executed it perfectly. She kicked her goals well for most of the game and kept the scoreboard relentlessly ticking over. Her territorial kicking was outstanding.

9. Lucy Packer – 6

Her kicking game early in the first half was good. Inside the opening couple of minutes she put in a clever chip into the corner that pinned Italy deep and helped England build immediate pressure near the try line. She kept England playing fast around the ruck. The Red Roses were dangerous whenever she moved the ball quickly off the base, especially in that 20-minute first-half spell.

1. Kelsey Clifford – 4

At last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, Kelsey Cliffort was hugely influential. However today against Italy, she was quiet in first half and didn’t make too many carries. She was replaced at half time.

2. Amy Cokayne – 8

Amy was excellent today. Her lineout throwing and general control at hooker were solid, which helped England keep a stable platform throughout. She also scored a great try from a driving maul. She carried hard and was involved in lots of rucks.

3. Maud Muir – 7

Maud Muir was one of England’s more effective forwards today, especially with ball in hand. She consistently won the gain line. Italy struggled to stop her momentum once she got square onto defenders. A couple of her carries in the first half directly helped England build the pressure that led to tries.

4. Haineala Lutui – 7

A brilliant 50 minutes for the newly capped Red Rose. She carried the ball well and made some powerful runs in the first half. A dominant performance from the young Loughborough Lightning forward.

5. Delaney Burns – 5

Not poor, but not one of England’s dominant forwards either. She handled the basics cleanly enough. England’s set piece was stable for most of the game and Burns was part of a pack that still gave England a platform to dominate territory and possession.

6. Demelza Short – 5

Demelza Short worked hard defensively and got through a decent amount of unseen ruck work and physically didn’t look out of place at all. She handled the contact area reasonably well. Quite quiet overall but got the job done when it mattered most.

7. Marlie Packer – 9

Marlie Packer was dominant throughout the game and scored within 10 minutes. The two-time world champion carried hard, went on some powerful runs and was consistently good in defence. She scored four tries in total today and was awarded player of the match after an outstanding performance in Parma. A brilliant performance from the Saracens forward.

8. Abi Burton – 6

Was quiet in the first half but came to life in the second. Steady and reliable in contact, especially as Italy tried to play a bit more expansively in the second half. Busy at the breakdown in short carries. Got the job done back in her more familiar position.

Replacements

16. Connie Powell – 4

There was nothing too special from Connie Powell as England saw out the game this afternoon. The hooker came on the pitch to replace Amy Cokayne with a specific job in mind and did it well.

17. Mackenzie Carson – 5

Not flashy, but solid in the engine room of a dominant England pack.

18. Sarah Bern – 7

Came off the bench in the second half and made some of her usual powerful runs. Contributed well in defence in Parma. Performed her role well.

19. Christina Balogun – 6

Maher her debut after the hour mark just hours after being added to the Red Roses’ match day squad this afternoon due to an injury to Maddie Feaunati. Solid in defence.

20. Haidee Head – 6

Impactful on debut. Defensively put in a shift and looked comfortable in the side that has been impacted by injuries and pregnancies. It was good to see the Trailfinders Women forward get some Test minutes.

21. Flo Robinson – 7

Came on towards the 50-minute mark and immediately made an impact with a combination of some great attacking play and defensive awareness which ultimately led to another Red Roses try.

22. Holly Aitchison – 4

Holly Aitchison didn’t have a headline-grabbing match off the bench. She did what England wanted and provided controlled attacking structure and keeping England’s backline flowing smoothly in a dominant win.

23. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald – 4

Had a quiet but tidy game for England against Italy today in a match where the forwards and finishers took most of the headlines.