Another edition of one of rugby's great rivalries and another illustration that the gap between the best and the rest in the Women's Six Nations remains huge. It is now three years since Wales matched England by funding a professional programme but a great chasm remains between the two sides, the class of this championship simply too fast, too strong and too good.
If last week’s round one win in Italy was scrappy and scratchy, this was more like the Red Roses side that have dominated this tournament for so long, varied and venomous throughout. The hope was that Wales could build on an outstanding first 20 minutes last year in Cardiff that saw them outplay their English visitors, but this felt like a step back, despite a narrower final margin. Ioan Cunningham was not helped by a smattering of late injury-enforced changes, yet the Wales coach will have been disappointed not to have seen his side produce a better showing for those making the short hop across the Severn.
That travelling contingent helped bolster a crowd that totalled 19,705, a record for a Red Roses home fixture away from Twickenham. There are understandable worries that England’s dominance will eventually prove a limiting factor on the continuing growth of crowds, but for now, it seems, the paying public are perfectly happy to see the hosts win.
Esta historia es de la edición March 31, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 31, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Zelensky accuses China of helping Russia to sabotage Ukraine peace conference
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming peace conference on the war in Ukraine.
UK judges paid £40,000 to sit on top Hong Kong court
British judges are taking tens of thousands of pounds to sit on Hong Kong’s top court despite a pro-China crackdown on dissent in the city.
Wilder reaches a sad end on unique Riyadh boxing night
It was the end for Deontay Wilder in the middle of the Saudi Arabian night when he stumbled one last time in a boxing ring.
Southgate delivers positive update on England's stars
England boss Gareth Southgate has been “pleased with the progress” Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are making as the Manchester United duo look to prove their fitness for Euro 2024.
How Real Madrid created a Champions League dynasty
Spanish giants have secured a 15th European Cup but the win exposes football's biggest issues
History tells us Starmer will face more campaign scares
Former home secretary Jack Straw reflects on a tough week for the Labour leader’s bid to be the next prime minister
Now Trump's been found guilty, Swift could prove crucial to the US election
chief among them – you wouldn’t expect a singer who found fame on America’s conservative country music scene to be particularly high on the list.
Gandhi dynasty heads for third defeat against Modi
The once mighty Congress party has struggled against Hindu nationalist alliance, reports Namita Singh from Uttar Pradesh
Veteran recalls explosion on his ship weeks after D-Day
A Royal Navy veteran has recalled being thrown from his ship after an explosion that killed 31 people just weeks after D-Day.
Abusers getting away with restraining order breaches
Thousands of vulnerable women face the threat of a violent domestic abuser returning to the household, with convictions for breaches of restraining orders plummeting, The Independent can reveal.