Holly Aitchison sparkles in latest England rout as fly half decision looms
Mitchell's third fly half of the campaign may yet prove herself again his best option. Aitchison had seemingly seized the shirt with a superlative 2024, illustrating England's attacking game with the broad brush strokes of an artist coming into her own, able to paint in the abstract and with pointillist precision. But a shaky showing under pressure from Canada at WXV, and a slight tweak in gameplan, brought both the versatile Helena Rowland and, particularly, Zoe Harrison back into the frame.
This, though, was a showing to remind Mitchell and all at Welford Road of Aitchison's class. Her passing game, peerless within even this squad, helped England run riot as they continue to steamroll all in their path. Nine tries arrived even on an uncharacteristic off-day for full-back Ellie Kildunne and with the hosts squandering plenty of chances – such is life, sadly, in a tournament struggling more and more for competitive jeopardy.
A worryingly poor performance from France in Parma against Italy does not exactly augur well for next week's grand slam showdown, though they do tend to lift their game for the annual Women Six Nations decider. Privately, England would confess to rather desiring an 80-minute challenge – though pushed by Ireland in the first half last week and Italy in the second 40 in round one, this really has been a romp towards another clean sweep.
Scotland's stagnation is cause for concern. The measuring stick for any side against England is different to in another games, and one could argue the defeat to Italy at home in round three was far more damaging for Bryan Easson's side. But having kept things relatively respectable in this fixture over the past five years, the first half here felt like a step back. The progress promised by the onset of professionalism is yet to really show for a side that sorely missed skipper Rachel Malcolm – sat in the coaches' box after a concussion last week – and her leadership.
A regime change perhaps looms after a World Cup that a group that has been through plenty of tough times together will hope to peak for. But the gap is growing to England. Perhaps to illustrate their remarkable depth, their back row bench replacement here was World Cup winner and Olympian Alex Matthews; her Scottish counterpart, the highly-rated Gemma Bell, is technically a clubmate but is not yet particularly near the reigning Premiership Women's Rugby champions' first team.
That difference in quality was evident from the off. Slow starts had been a theme of England's tournament but not here. Claudia MacDonald had already been denied with line in sight twice – once by an outstanding cover tackle from Rhona Lloyd and then by a poor Kildunne pass – when loosehead Kelsey Clifford got the scoring started six minutes in from close range.
Marlie Packer soon collected her 50th England try before Zoe Aldcroft, her replacement as captain, snared one of her own, striding away like Keely Hodgkinson after plucking an intercept near halfway. MacDonald, Abbie Ward and Lark Atkin-Davies all crossed before the interval as the Red Roses progressed at more than a point per minute.
Things stalled somewhat after the break, though MacDonald had her second soon enough after a lovely passing move out to the left. A Scottish maul score was well received, with centre Lisa Thomson an unlikely buried beneficiary, yet England came again. By her standards, Abby Dow had been quiet until the final ten minutes but two tries yet came her way as the wing powered past three weak would-be tacklers on a 60-metre surge down the right touchline before crossing in the same corner to complete the rout.
Will Aitchison keep the shirt at Twickenham next week? For any other side, it wouldn't be a question but England are in a different league.
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