A record-breaking party for Scottish sport, and England spoilt it. On the day of the largest standalone crowd for a women’s sporting fixture north of the border, beating the near-19,000 who witnessed Scotland defeat Jamaica at Hampden Park in 2019, England’s march towards an eighth successive Six Nations title continued with aplomb, as John Mitchell’s world champions delivered a 12-try clinic at Murrayfield.

England were depleted but one might not have known, inflicting Scotland’s heaviest defeat in this fixture since 2011. In hindsight, and taking into account the extraordinary depth at Mitchell’s disposal, it seems bonkers to peg them with an availability crisis but the truth is that no other side – women’s or men’s – in the world could cope with England’s absentee list and continue with such dominance.

Three second rows, Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, are pregnant, as is hooker Lark Atkin-Davies, while five others have suffered championship-ending injuries. Seven of the 13 forwards who played in last autumn’s World Cup final win were absent, including Alex Matthews who is only a short-term loss, and England were down what could be considered as a third-choice lock pairing and a debutant, Demelza Short, at blindside while Ellie Kildunne, one of the Red Roses’ superstars, started on the wing for the first time in white.

It made no difference. After a nervy start against a Scotland side bulwarked by record home support – there were 30,498 packed into Murrayfield – England ran riot. Zoe Harrison was immaculate both out of hand and with the boot, and kicked each of her 12 conversions, with Emma Sing and Kildunne providing cutting edge out wide.

Meg Jones, the captain, gave the visitors direction and momentum in the midfield but what will have pleased Mitchell greatly is how his callow forwards stepped up. Lilli Ives Campion had a tremendous match in the second row, leading England’s flawless line-out, while Short looked to the manner born at blindside, mixing deft and destructive to often devastating effect. The same must be said of Short’s fellow back-rowers, Sadia Kabeya and Maddie Feaunati, too, but that would come as a surprise to no one.

After Kildunne had crossed twice – the second her 50th try for England in 59 caps – and Jones got on the end of a sumptuous Kabeya offload, Kelsey Clifford wrapped up the first-half bonus point for England. Scotland, at least, managed a score of their own – and it was a peach, with Chloe Rollie regathering a chip-and-chase to feed Rhona Lloyd. Lloyd showed both Jess Breach and Kildunne a clean pair of heels to score.

That was all that the Scottish crowd had to cheer, however, as England clicked through the gears. Sing, Amy Cokayne and Marlie Packer all added to Sarah Bern’s double, the second in two matches for the tighthead off the bench. Kabeya, Mia Venner and Haineala Lutui added late scores as England puffed out their chests and reminded everyone of their hegemony.

The Murrayfield attendance is evidence enough of a growing game but Scotland have not beaten England since 1999, a record which does not look as though it will be broken any time soon.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Kildunne try, 0-7 Harrison con, 0-12 Jones try, 0-14 Harrison con, 0-19 Kildunne try, 0-21 Harrison con, 0-26 Clifford try, 0-28 Harrison con, 5-28 Lloyd try, 7-28 Nelson con, 7-33 Sing try, 7-35 Harrison con, 7-40 Cokayne try, 7-42 Harrison con, 7-47 Bern try, 7-49 Harrison con, 7-54 Bern try, 7-56 Harrison con, 7-61 M Packer try, 7-63 Harrison con, 7-68 Kabeya try, 7-70 Harrison con, 7-75 Venner try, 7-77 Harrison con, 7-82 Lutui try, 7-84 Harrison con.
H-T: 7-35.

Scotland C Rollie; R Lloyd (Darroch 61), E Wills (Scott 42), M Smith, S Campbell (McGhie 47); H Nelson, L Brebner-Holden (Darroch 13, Brebner-Holden 25); L Bartlett (Swann 57), L Skeldon (Martin 60), E Clarke (Poolman 57), E Wassell, H Cunningham (Bogan 47), R Malcolm (capt), A Stewart (McLachlan 47), E Coubrough.
England E Sing; J Breach, M Jones (capt), H Rowland (Aitchison 61), E Kildunne (Venner 61); Z Harrison, L Packer (Robinson 63); K Clifford (Carson 51), A Cokayne (Powell 51), M Muir (Bern 51), A Burton, L Ives Campion (Lutui 57), D Short (M Packer 57), S Kabeya, M Feaunati.
Referee Zoe Naude.
Attendance 30,498.