England 82-0 Wales: Anna Davies scores five tries as rampant England claim record win
Since a 60-0 thrashing by England a year ago, Wales – who only played their first full international in 2021 – have secured qualification for their first World Cup, in Australia in 2026.
But this felt like a huge step back for Tom Brindle’s side, who looked to be gaining momentum with their wins over Ireland and the Netherlands.
With only a sprinkling of Women’s Super League players at his disposal, his team were simply unable to bridge the step up in class required to compete with the hosts.
England punched holes down the centre of the Welsh defence with ease and when the ball moved wide they repeatedly had huge overlaps – and consequently looked capable of scoring at will.
Having scored seven first-half tries to demoralise Wales, Barrow’s side deserve credit for the way they ruthlessly piled on the points after the break.
Four tries in an eight-minute period once play had restarted ensured it was a case of when, not if, the hosts were going to set a new landmark score.
However, the manner of this triumph once again exposes a flaw in the international calendar and the quality of opposition available for England to test themselves against.
England have now scored 234 points, while conceding just six, in just four matches against Wales, which represents limited preparation for the stern examination they are set to face when they travel to play world champions Australia in Las Vegas in March.
