Ellie Kildunne scored a hat-trick in nine minutes on her 50th cap as England thrashed Wales 11 tries to one in front of a record crowd of 21,186 at the Principality Stadium. The full-back, who has now scored 39 tries for the Red Roses, was named player of the match after a devastating second-half performance.
England head coach John Mitchell praised Kildunne, saying: 'She is a breath of fresh air, very, very talented. She is maturing her game all of the time.' The 25-year-old World Rugby player of the year has lost only two games in an England shirt.
Maddie Feaunati scored two tries, while centre Meg Jones marked her first England appearance since the death of both her parents with a phenomenal solo try, pointing to the sky in tribute. Abi Burton, who was in an induced coma in 2022 due to a rare brain illness, scored two tries on her debut from the bench.
Wales took an early lead through Jenni Scoble, but England responded with tries from Feaunati, Jones, and Sarah Bern before half-time. Kildunne's hat-trick came early in the second half, with further scores from Abby Dow and Burton sealing the win. The victory extended England's winning run in the Women's Six Nations to 31 matches.
The attendance of 21,186 set a new record for a Welsh women's sporting event on home soil, surpassing the previous mark of 16,845 set by the national football team. Wales have not beaten England in the Women's Six Nations for a decade.
