Scotland vs England LIVE: Women’s Six Nations result, final score and reaction

Follow live updates from the first match in the 2022 Women’s Six Nations at DAM Health Stadium

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A Marlie Packer hat-trick helped England begin their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a 57-5 thrashing of Scotland. Simon Middleton’s side extended their remarkable winning streak to 19 matches after a nine-try triumph over their rivals in Edinburgh. Playing in the shadows of Murrayfield, Packer got the ball rolling for England and they went on to comfortably secure a bonus-point victory to start their pursuit of another Grand Slam title.

It took nine minutes for the defending champions to go over for the first time through Packer and Emily Scarratt kicked the conversion on her Test return after a broken leg last year. Scarratt would play 58 minutes and finish with a 10-point haul after England went over six times in the opening half. Packer claimed a first-half double with Poppy Cleall, Heather Cowell, Abby Dow and Leanne Infante also touching down to make it 38-5 at the break. Holly Aitchison and Connie Powell added further tries after the restart before prop Packer secured a personal treble after some assistance from the TMO.

Scotland suffered a heavy loss to their old foes but the score only told half the story, with Chloe Rollie’s early try able to give the home crowd something to shout about while a knock-on denied Rachel McLachlan a further effort in an overall display that showed they can build on last season’s fifth-place finish. Follow all the reaction from this Women's Six Nations opener with our live blog below:

Scotland vs England

• 9 mins - TRY for Packer and converted as England take the lead, before P Cleall scores second
• 17 mins - TRY for Rollie pulls one back for Scotland
• 23 mins - TRY as Cowell races over the line and Dow storms through for quickfire fourth
• 31 mins - TRY for Packer and a fifth for the Red Roses
• 39 mins - TRY for Infante gives England a 33-point lead at the break
• 54 mins - TRY as Aitchison dots down first score of second half
• 65 mins - TRY for Powell just after coming on before Packer scores hat-trick one minute later
• England begin defence of Women’s Six Nations title with 52-point thrashing of Scotland

[26 March 2022 12:46 · Sarah Rendell]

TRY! Scotland 5-38 England (Infante, 42’)

Wow! There were a series of scrums and England got away with it.

Sarah Bern made a huge break and she popped the ball away to Leanne Infante who crashed over for England’s sixth.

Scarratt conversion

[26 March 2022 12:42 · Sarah Rendell]

Scotland 5-31 England, 39 min

Scotland come away with it after the throw goes too long but Scarratt does extremely well to turn it over by holding up a Scot.

England put in at the scrum but they move early and so Scotland get the free kick. Sloppy stuff from both sides as we head towards half-time.

Nelson’s kick goes to the England back three and they run into Scottish traffic. But then Scarratt drops it! Jeez these errors are clocking up.

[26 March 2022 12:39 · Sarah Rendell]

Scotland 5-31 England, 37 min

Scotland give away a penalty now and England kick to the corner, could we see yet another try here?

They set up the driving maul but Scotland do extremely well to defend it! They get a penalty and get possession back. It was a huge celebration from the hosts!

Scotland scrum and they get it out. They didn’t have time to kick it away and so they are building from deep here!

Nelson then kicks it away but it doesn’t go far and there will be another maul for England.

[26 March 2022 12:37 · Sarah Rendell]

Scotland 5-31 England, 34 min

What is unfortunate for Scotland is the scoreboard doesn’t highlight their good work this afternoon.

I thought the scoreline wouldn’t be as big with Scotland securing the World Cup qualification spot and England not on their best form today. But it shows what the world no.1 side can do.

Scotland just tried to launch an attack but England have pegged them back to their own 22!

[26 March 2022 12:34 · Sarah Rendell]

TRY! Scotland 5-31 England (Packer, 31’)

That set piece is amazing for England, their rolling maul splinters but Packer has the ball and dots down.

Scarratt misses the ball, she has missed two kicks so far but she is just getting back into her groove.

[26 March 2022 12:33 · Sarah Rendell]

Scotland 5-26 England, 30'

Well, this could be a long afternoon for Scotland. I can’t type fast enough to report these tries!

Rollie knocks the ball on just after the restart and again England have the put in at the scrum. They get the ball away and Kildunne sets off on a storming run!

She goes down and the ball is recycled with Scarratt kicking the ball across field. Cowell collected but Malcom smacks her out of play. We come back for an earlier pen advantage and they kick to the corner.

[26 March 2022 12:29 · Sarah Rendell]

TRY! Scotland 5-26 England (Dow, 26’)

Bern has received some treatment for her knee but she remains on the pitch, I’ll keep an eye on her just incase.

The ball from the restart went straight out from Nelson so it is an England scrum on the halfway line. There was a restart after it collapsed an then England won a penalty.

They took it quickly and it is a screamer from Abby Dow! She spots a great line and she storms to the line! That’s the bonus point!

Scarratt adds the extras

[26 March 2022 12:24 · Sarah Rendell]

TRY! Scotland 5-19 England (Cowell, 22’)

Scotland do really well to pressure England as Kildunne spills the ball in attack.

Another Scotland scrum and they came away with it but England managed to turn it over in a ruck. This is quite scrappy from both teams in the past few minutes.

Dow almost got away but Scotland swarmed her, holding her up. The penalty went England’s way with referee Joy Neville saying it was a tackle. And England scrum, the scrums clean for both sides so far, sees the visitors come away with it.

The ball was fizzed wide but Kildunne doesn’t get the ball away to Dow who could’ve been away. But eventually the ball goes to Cowell and she races in.

[26 March 2022 12:19 · Sarah Rendell]

TRY! Scotland 5-14 England (Rollie, 17’)

Now we have a game on our hands!

England’s defensive line falls apart as the ball is fizzed to full-back Rollie who powers over.

Nelson’s conversion is unsuccessful.

[26 March 2022 12:18 · Sarah Rendell]

Scotland 0-14 England, 16 min

That try sees England go over 4,000 points in the Six Nations, the first team to do it!

Scotland are in possession and they have bagged a penalty as Kildunne didn’t roll away after her tackle. The hosts kick for the corner as they look to hit back at England.

They deserve some points here after their sparkling start.

Scotland’s maul was brought down immediately but they have the ball still