Nine-try England hammer Wales in Women's Six Nations

England ran in nine tries as they hammered  Wales 59-3 in Cardiff on Saturday to keep their Women's Six Nations Grand Slam hopes on track.

The four-time defending champions' strength in depth was on full display on a day on which each of the Red Roses' nine tries come through different scorers.

Lucy Packer, Tatyana Heard, Abigail Dow, Holly Aitchison, Jess Breach, Ellie Kildunne, Maud Muir, Hannah Botterman and Sarah Beckett all touched down for the visitors, with Emma Sing and Lagi Tuima adding seven conversions between them.

England were heavy favourites to make it three wins from three in this season's Six Nations but Wales, who had also won both of their first two matches, opened the scoring after an electric start when Keira Bevan slotted over a penalty.

Those proved to be Wales' only points of the game as England hit back in emphatic fashion.

The Red Roses took the lead in the 26th minute when Dow broke down the left and crossed into the hosts' 22.

She was brought down just shy of the try line, but Packer  scooped up the ball from the ensuing breakdown and twisted over the line.

Heard helped make it 12-3 before an exquisite pass from Aitchison set Dow up on a fine run from midfield. The Harlequins winger crossed the whitewash on the 40-minute mark.

Sing's conversion left the hosts, who had enjoyed both a possession and territorial advantage, trailing 19-3 at the break.

Aitchison quickly added her name to the list of England's try-scorers to secure the bonus point after the restart, when the floodgates opened for the Red Roses.

Despite going down to 13 women after May Campbell and Marlie Packer were sent to the sin-bin in the 67th minute, the visitors went on to complete a comprehensive victory.

jw/pb

© Agence France-Presse

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