There is an alternate universe where Meg Jones played the Six Nations clash between England and Wales in a red shirt instead of a white one. The Red Roses captain was born in Cardiff and can speak fluent Welsh but she chose to play for England, being qualified through her mother. That decision is surely one of the most important to England’s current form with Jones an integral and irreplaceable cog in the Red Roses’ machine.

Jones was named skipper before the Six Nations with Zoe Stratford pregnant and she has more than stepped to the plate. The 2025 World Rugby player of the year nominee has scored in two of the three opening matches of the tournament, bagging two against Wales at a sold-out Ashton Gate. Not only is she getting herself on the scoresheet, she is also proving to be the linchpin in the majority of the side’s attacking moves. Off pitch she is also inspiring the next generation, speaking candidly about the grief she has experienced after losing both of her parents in 2024. Jones said in the buildup to the game this particular match means that much more now and she displayed that on the pitch with another stellar performance.

Jones and her team may have inflicted their 11th consecutive win over Wales, despite losing Sadia Kabeya to injury after 21 minutes, but the team have clearly improved under Sean Lynn. Wales secured a bonus-point with four tries, the final one coming from Seren Lockwood. The 24 points scored by the visitors was the most they had ever recorded against England and was 12 more than they had in their previous encounter at last year’s Six Nations.

Reaction from England’s Marlie Packer, who becomes No 3 on the Red Roses’ all-time try-scoring list:

Really pleased. Wales gave us a tough game today, we know they’ve improved … Really proud of the girls’ performance.

It’s massive. It’s incredible because selling out these stadiums means everything to us … We’re loving it. Every time we come into camp, we enjoy being with the Red Roses. It’s a really nice place to be.”

80 min: Marlie Packer wins player of the match. I’d have given it to Meg Jones, but she’s a deserving winner.

80 min: Wales kick to the corner. One last chance to have the final word.

78 min: Two minutes to go. Wales have a scrum inside England’s half. Bevan sends it left and they run hard. Bevan milks a penalty off the back of Muir who is on the wrong side of the ruck. George attempts a chip and chase. Nothing doing. So they come back for the pen.

72 min: Bevan shows outrageous footwork as she wriggles away from four English defenders and then bursts upfield. Wow, what a run that is! She’s nailed by Kildunne. Was it high? Looked it. But they don;’t wait as Wales kick to the corner and set up a line-out inside England’s 22.

71 min: Marlie Packer wants a hat-trick and is hanging out in the right wide channel. She has exploited an overlap and is ready to gather a long pass. But she spills it. England are not done. They’re hunting more but have to defend a line-out on Wales’ 22.

67 min: Spilled on the line! Oh, it looked certain that Moloney-MacDonald had bagged her brace. But just as she went to dot down she spilled it under contact. It was a lovely grubber from Aitchison – who is suddenly having a wonderful game – to set it up in the left corner. But no. Credit to Lockwood for the covering tackle.

66 min: For once England can’t make the line-out stick. George is able to clear it long and she finds touch beyond the 22. But England win that line-out and come charging straight back.

65 min: England on another level right now. Moloney-MacDonald rakes a kick ahead that bounces perfectly until it bobbles out of touch just five short of the Welsh try line for a 50-22.

62 min: And that’s the difference between England and everyone else. They had a line-out, from the penalty, on halfway, and in the blink if an eye they’ve got Harrison on the front foot and nudging a kick to the corner, forcing Wales to exit from deep inside their own 22.

61 min: Ah, how frustrating for Wales. Off the scrum, they keep the ball well. But they just don’t have the punch through contact. That means they can’t get quick ball out the back which means England can set their defensive line which exacerbates the issue. Soon Wales infringe on the floor searching for that quicker ball and hand a soft penalty to England.

58 min: Neat from Wales off the scrum before Bevan, who peeled off, raked a grubber into the corner finding touch. England then lose the ball at the line-out so Wales will have another scrum, this time inside England’s 22.

57 min: Off the line-out, England go from left to right and then back to the left. In fact, Wales push them back about 25 metres and force a knock on as Tuipulotu races up and forces the mistake on halfway. Impressive from Wales. You’d not know it from the score, but they’ve been pretty good this afternoon.

54 min: England have brought on a new front row as Kildunne collects a high kick and returns it with interest. England win another kick battle and will have the line-out inside Welsh territory.

52 min: Powell could be in trouble for a deliberate knock-on. There was an English player hovering in the right tram and she would have had a clear run to the line. Yup. Replays show exactly that. Yellow card coming…

52 min: Wales exit from the line-out, but not very far. England will have the line-out feed on the Welsh 22.

50 min: Keight knocks-on in contact after the Welse line-out teed her up from midfield. England kept it steady and look great with ball in hand. Jones has it and nudges a little grubber that beats the onrushing defence. I’m not sure a quicker player than Marlie Packer would have got there before it bobbled out on the left touch, but it might have have been close.

49 min: Moloney-MacDonald does well near the left touch to hold onto a Bevan box kick. It’s been a scrappy few minutes as both teams try and fail to breach the midfield walls before kicking. Rowland kicsk and finds touch but England are still inside their own half as Wales set their line-out.

45 min: Now England win the scrum penalty and they keep rumbling. Packer eventually passes the ball. Rowland – having a great game – finds Jones who flings it far and left for Maloney-MacDonald who tries to beat Powell round the outside. The Welsh winger makes the tackle but England come back for the penalty that is kicked into Wales’ 22.

44 min: Wales spill it from the line-out. One step forward, one step back so far this half for the women in red.

41 min: There’s a knock-on from Wales just over halfway. That gives England a scrum and in the blink of an eye Kildunne is steaming down the right. She is so quick, just ghosting past defenders. She gets nailed about 10 metres short of the try line having collected Rowland’s pass on halfway before throwing a dummy pass. Wow, Kildunne is box office. But she spills the ball in contact so Wales have to clear their lines from a scrum. Even better, they get the scrum penalty.

38 min: Wales once again kick the ball away after showing some neat work in midfield. But they get it back soon after as England spill in contact. Wales are up inside England’s half. De Vera, who has had a good game, is heavily involved. Joyce does well out in the left tram to keep the ball alive until she spills it right at the last. Good ball retention from Wales, but they’re finding out that this England team is not easily breached. England will have the scrum between their 22 and halfway all the way on the right.

36 min: Three Welsh line-outs. Three Welsh penalties. It’s another trick play – a short throw to the front of the line, straight to the prop who wasn’t there to lift, but instead turned around and grabbed the bullet pass. That caught England off guard and they swarmed around the ball carrier illegally.

35 min: David, who was off for a HIA, has failed her test so Breach will remain out there. A harsh end for David on debut, but at least she bagged a try.

32 min: Another maul, another penalty for Wales. This time it’s inside the England 22 so they can kick a little closer. Five out.

31 min: Wales win a penalty from a maul off a line-out shortly after the restart. George crossfield kicks and finds Singleton on the right wing. Wales keep the ball but fail to make any ground. Soon they spill it but will come back for the penalty, which is hoofed out of touch about 18 metres short of the England line on the left.

25 min: England nick a line-out in their own half and in a flash they’re screaming down field with Kildunne round a defender and charging in the left tram. She passes short to Moloney-MacDonald to her outside but the winger runs out of room. She flings a hopeful ball back infield that doesn’t find a mate, but there’s a Welsh infringement so England get a penalty.

23 min: Wales keep the ball after the scrum and hold onto the ball. Until Bevan hoofs a pretty ordinary box kick that is easily marked in the backfield by Kildunne.

22 min: A tearful Kabeya leaves the field. She really doesn’t want to go but she has to as her shoulder looks in real trouble.

22 min: Wales win a penalty in midfield. This came off England having a scrum all the way on the left wing and failing to find a hole anywhere in the line. Great defence from Wales who look up for this. They’re doubling up in the tackle and England just haven’t been able to get their off-loading game away. So the hosts lose patience and go searching for quicker ball, committing an infringement on the floor. Kudos to the Welsh.

20 min: Kildunne launches an attack from deep and spirals a pass for Rowland hovering on the lefft wing. But she’s tackled out of touch.

This much-changed England side is not quite delivering. Wales have come to play. Good game so far.

17 min: Off the scrum, England make a mess and get in a tangle in the midfield. The ball goes loose and Bevan grabs it and canters a full 40 metres. She looks destined for the line before she’s cut down. Jones tries to steal it but the Welsh support is up and they wrestle the ball back. Wales have the advantage. George goes for a cross-kick to the corner. David catches and makes the mark, but Wales will have the advantage to play with. Phew, hectic period that. They kick to the corner and will line-out from five out.

15 min: George overcooks the restart and hands possession straight back to England, who will have the scrum on halfway.

12 min: England win a kick battle. L Packer collects the ball at the breakdown and immediately rakes a box kick, knowing there is no one covering the Welsh backfield. George runs around and mops up before returning the kick. But she can’t find much ground. England with a promising line-out position.

10 min: England just win the small moments more often than not. Wales set the maul from the line-out but they couldn’t get the ball out the back. England’s maul defence swamped the ball carrier and stalled momentum. So they’re rewarded with a scrum feed on their 22.

9 min: Better from Wales. Off a line-out on the left, they go down the line and suck in two defenders with a clever dummy. Powell, up from fullback creating the overload, has time to send a grubber into the left corner. It’s a lovely touch finder that had her chasing winger interested for a second.

England, though, have no problem exiting from a line-out five out from their own line.

Wales will come again with a maul from a line-out of their own between the halfway and the 22m lines.

5 min: Wales win the line-out but M Packer, who has exploded into this game, charges down George’s exit kick. She can’t get there before it’s dotted down safely over the try line by a Welsh hand. But that was great work from the veteran Rose.

4 min: Wales win a scrum penalty. Excellent set and they get the chance to clear their lines. Well done to the Welsh pack.

If there’s one area that England aren’t head and shoulders above the rest it’s the scrum.

3 min: Off the line-out, M Packer charges through the guts and almost finds the line. L Packer recycles and finds Kabeya who spills in contact as Metcalfe and Aiono double up and force the knock-on five metres out. Wales will have the scrum feed.

2 min: Kildunne’s first touch is a beauty. On her tip-toes she holds onto a kick that looked destined to find touch on England’s right wing. She grabbed it and then went on a mazy run, making 10 metres. Soon after England sent it down the line and won a scrum as a Welsh hand caused a knock-on in contact. England will have the scrum inside Welsh territory.

Oh, hang on. It’s been upgraded to a penalty for a deliberate knock-on so England will get the line-out inside the Welsh 22.

It was remiss of me not to mention that Metcalfe is 19-years-old!

19! Nineteen! My goodness. What a moment.

Anthems now. A few tears. Love seeing that. Loads of passion.

The players are lining up in the tunnel.

Not long to go now.

Sean Lynn, Wales’ head coach, was speaking to the BBC:

We are playing the world champions and Grand Slam champions in front of a sold out Ashton Gate. It doesn’t get bigger than that.

England are the trailblazers in the women’s game. They have been professional longer than us and have their own domestic league - that is the reality of the challenge.

This is all about us building our performances and developing our identity as a team. We need to show the same intensity and resilience that we have shown in the opening two games and do it for longer. The grit and ability to dig deep is an attribute we will need against England.

Another yarn from Sarah.

In this one she hears from young Millie David who makes her Red Roses debut on the wing today.

Good to know I’m on the same page as Sarah Rendell.

Here she argues that the Red Roses are doing things few teams, if any, have ever done:

How about some stats, eh?

These have been pulled straight from the WRU website.

• England have won 22 out of 24 meetings against Wales, their only defeats coming in 2015 and 2009

• England have won each of their last 50 international matches on home soil, their last defeat in England coming in November 2016. They have never lost at home to Wales in Test rugby, winning all 20 meetings

• Wales’ Bethan Lewis has made the most tackles of any player in the Women’s Six Nations this year (37) with team-mate Kate Williams making the most dominant tackles (4), while Gwen Crabb has won the most breakdown turnovers

• England’s Sarah Bern is the top try scorer (4), crossing twice in each of the opening two rounds, while team-mate Zoe Harrison has scored the most points (24), not missing a single one of her 12 conversion attempts against Scotland