Simon Middleton laughed at the suggestion that his 12 try win over Italy for England’s rotated team had left him with more questions than answers.
“We have lots to think about, I can tell you that,” said the coach.
“We were exceptional today. My perception was that their physical effort was so intense it would have made them seem quite ordinary.
“We have huge selection options. So we can solve these problems, we have made a significant investment in the squad’s depth.
Middleton said before the Women’s Six Nations that he would play with his team in the first three rounds. England is preparing for a decisive final weekend matchup against main rivals France, and a Rugby World Cup campaign beginning in October.
Natasha Hunt (33) was the scrum-half. Her first international since November 2020 marked with a lively performance, player-ofthe-match award, and she was one of many to make her case for Middleton.
Middleton said of Hunt, “She brought an excellent tempo, sharp and tack. Sarah McKenna saw that down the shorter side when she set her up for the first attempt.”
“She was always alive, she was always buzzing, she was always alert, she was a great passer, and then Lucy Packer came on, and she fizzed around, and her passing is amazing.
“Leanne Infante played a huge game last week [in the 57-5 win over Scotland]So now we have three scrum halves in great form.
Hunt was part of the 2014 Rugby World Cup winning team and said that she wasn’t looking beyond playing rugby.
It was a great experience. It was wonderful to be back with the girls, and to play the game with my mates. BBC Two: “I love quick ball,” she said.
“My goal was to keep the pace up and drive that. If I have done it, then I have done my job.” This back line was absurd today, so I was thrilled to have played a role in it.”
England’s amazing form continues
England’s last defeat was before their current 20-match winning streak. a 28-13 defeat by current world champions New ZealandSeptember 2019.
24 consecutive Test wins is the Black Ferns record.
Italy would never be able to break England’s record, and the statistics show how dominant they were.
- England spent four times as long in Italy’s Italian half as Italy in England.
- England had 71% of possession
- Italy attempted 250 tackles, which is 176 more than what the visitors had to do.
- England defeated 39 defenders while Italy only managed four
Perhaps of greater interest to Middleton was the statistics for individual players.
Only Lydia Thompson, wing, scored a hat trick and managed more metres than Alex Matthews, flanker, as the Worcester Warriors backrow staked their claim in another highly competitive area.
Poppy Cleall, number 8, was prodigious and scored 22 times in 67 minutes.
Centre Emily Scarratt was a reminder of her class by her first Test attempt since her recovery from a broken leg and her 50th since she made her England debut in 2008.
Middleton will have many more “good problems” in the coming weeks and months, with the likes Zoe Aldcroft, world player of the Year, on the way to full fitness.
Next weekend, it will be Wales that tries to stop England’s march to a 21st consecutive win.