We are two rounds into this year's Six Nations and the tournament is beginning to take shape. After a slightly subdued opening week by their lofty standards, England hit their stride against Wales on Saturday, while France kept the pressure on with an impressive second-half display against Scotland. On Sunday, Ireland put Italy to the sword with an eye-catching eight-try display.
Here's everything that happened in an action-packed weekend.
TOP STORY: Kildunne shows off star power
For England to end the year with a seventh-straight Six Nations title and a first World Cup triumph in their back pocket, they will need World Rugby player of the year Ellie Kildunne to make her mark.
It may sound like a daunting task, but it's fair to say the fleet-footed fullback is not feeling particularly worried about the level of expectation that surrounds her.
"Pressure is definitely a privilege," Kildunne told the BBC after scoring an eight-minute hat trick during England's demolition job in Cardiff on Saturday.
"Our potential is the unimaginable. We are going to keep getting better. I really think we are going to take it to levels that we've not been to before. We are just going to keep pushing until we get to a point that we just can't imagine what is next."
The 25-year-old has been directly involved in 26 tries across her last 15 starts for England (20 tries, 6 assists) and seems well-set to spearhead England's bid for glory over the next few months.
A word, also, for two-time Olympian Abi Burton who came off the bench to make an emotional England debut against Wales.
She spent 25 days in an induced coma after being diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis -- a condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the brain -- in 2022, and was sectioned after an initial misdiagnosis. She also contracted pneumonia twice and lost over three stone in weight during three months in hospital.
Burton didn't hesitate to make up for lost time as she marked her 13-minute appearance with two tries. -- Tom Chambers
Round 2 scores
France 38-15 Scotland
France found their groove in the second half of Saturday's clash with Scotland, keeping alive their hopes of a first championship success since 2018.
Les Bleues were in control from the off thanks to a try from Carla Arbez and the trusty boot of Morgane Bourgeois, but Scotland kept in touch with a 38th minute score from Emma Orr.
But for a mistake from Orr at the start of the second period, Scotland could have made things difficult for France. Orr missed the chance to score her second and potentially put Scotland into the lead when she was first to Lisa Thomson's grubber kick in behind in the 44th minute, but the centre failed to gather the ball on the try line. Her knock on let France off the hook and the hosts pulled away from there.
A delightful drop goal from France scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus and a run of three tries in seven minutes put the result beyond doubt.
Wales 12-67 England
The Red Roses laid bare their championship credentials in Cardiff on Saturday as they put on an attacking clinic that left Wales dazed.
John Mitchell's side rattled off 11 tries in total to spoil the home fans' day out at the Principality Stadium. The 21,186 supporters who flocked to the ground hoping to watch their team pull of a historic upset marked a record crowd for a Wales team event on Welsh soil. The victory was England's 31st in a row in the Six Nations but Mitchell warned his team against becoming bored of their success.
"We didn't start particularly well, but we grew into the second half and built some good pressure," Mitchell told the BBC. "I'm really glad the way we responded to what Wales did to us.
"I think we're a side that can't afford to get bored with the basics, because when our basics are poor that lets us down and brings the opposition into the game."
Italy 12-54 Ireland
Ireland outclassed Italy in Parma on Sunday to earn their first away win in the Six Nations since 2021.
Scott Bemand's side avenged their narrow opening round defeat to France last weekend by running in four tries in each half.
Aoife Dalton, Amee-Leigh Costigan, Linda Djougang, Dorothy Wall and Brittany Hogan all touched down for Ireland, while Anna McGann matched Kildunne's expolits on Saturday with a hat trick of her own at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
Dannah O'Brien contributed seven conversions as the Irish took a step forward in their development on the site of their failure to qualify for the 2021 World Cup.
Best moments:
Kildunne and dusted
England's 25-year-old star delighted the hundreds of fans who had worn cowboy hats to the Principality Stadium by showing off her trademark celebration after scoring not one, not two, but three tries in the space of just eight second-half minutes. She completed her hat trick after showing off her football skills.
A hat-trick in 9 minutes for Ellie Kildunne 😮💨💪#GuinnessW6N @RedRosesRugby pic.twitter.com/TiGApVZgP5
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 29, 2025
Sansus ends 11-year drop goal drought
With France finding things difficult against a spirited Scotland team, scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus picked the perfect moment to execute a stunning long-range drop goal. It was the first the Women's Six Nations has seen since 2014. C'est magnifique.
Le drop de Pauline Bourdon Sansus 🎯
— Six Nations (FR) (@SixNations_FR) March 29, 2025
Quelle inspiration de la demi de mêlée des Bleues 🤩
📺 France TV#FRAECO | #SixNationsRugby pic.twitter.com/hBJaC3vUVN
Aura Muzzo on a roll for Italy
The match may not have played out how Italy might have liked, but centre Aura Muzzo caught the eye with her display of athleticism in the opening stages of her team's clash with Ireland.
La specialità di Aura Muzzo 🤸♀️😅#GuinnessW6N @Womens6Nations pic.twitter.com/0V3UWyJcnY
— Guinness Sei Nazioni (@SeiNazioniRugby) March 30, 2025
Up next in Round 3:
France vs. Wales
When: Saturday, April 12 at 12.45 p.m. BST
Where: Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde
Ireland vs. England
When: Saturday, April 12 at 4.45 p.m. GMT
Where: Musgrave Park, Cork
Scotland vs. Italy
When: Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. BST
Where: DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh
- Five players to watch during the Women's Six Nations
- Women's Six Nations full fixture list
- Men's Six Nations Grades: England get A; Ireland need transition