Team England won five games out of five across the opening day of Home Internationals to mark an impressive beginning to the competition in Edinburgh.

England Senior A headlined the day with a strong 11-5 win against Wales, Georgie Southorn leading the scoring with a hat-trick, while Olivia Hompe and Liv Wimpenny both chipped in with two each.

There were also wins for the women’s senior B team, (18-8 v Wales), and victories for all three women’s junior sides; the As dispatching Scotland A (22-2), the Bs beating Wales A (11-10), and the C team rounding off the day against Wales B (11-6).

England A 11-5 Wales A

The senior A side began the competition against arguably their biggest rivals, and as always, the tie proved fiercely competitive with a real battle in the early stages.

Laura Merrifield opened the scoring with a solo drive before Hompe finished off a brilliant fast break move as England raced into an early lead.

However, it was Wales who held more settled possession in the early stages and used this to their advantage, first drawing level at ¼ time, and then going ahead early in Q2 to lead 2-3.

But as the half went on, England were able to begin to assert themselves.

Alex Drewe scored a free position opportunity, before Liv Thomas then took advantage from the resulting draw to drive straight to goal and put her side ahead.

Southorn then scored just before the half-time to give England a 5-3 lead as the young squad members continued to impress.

After the break, England furthered their stranglehold on the match, Southorn getting her second, and Wimpenny scoring two in quick succession as some Wales indiscipline saw them pick up two yellow cards in the 3rd quarter as England took the lead out to 8-3 at the ¾ time.

And the final quarter carried on in the same vein, Hompe finishing off a good team move for her second goal, Southorn completing a hat-trick, and Tilly Foster getting on the scoresheet.

Wales kept plugging away and did score twice in the final quarter after a long drought, but England remained comfortable through to the finish and ended convincing winners.

England scorers: Georgie Southorn 3, Olivia Hompe 2, Liv Wimpenny 2, Laura Merrifield, Alex Drewe, Liv Thomas, Tilly Foster

Day 1 full scorers:

England Senior B 18 - 8 Wales B - Ella Cohen 3, Julie Wise 3, Lucy Devine 2, Emma Savage 2, Alex Cant 2, Sofia Wise 2, Anna Saunter 2, India Chadwick, Ella Malik

England Junior A 22 - 2 Scotland A - Ella Dimbylow 3, Fiona Maclean 3, Habi Littlehales 3, Annabel Lowe 3, Luci Robertson 3, Rachael Ball 2, Emma Pearce 2, Genevieve Alcock, Bella Baylis, Nina Sherwen

England Junior B 11-10 Wales A - Phoebe Jones 3, Millie Cant 2, Annie Mather, Ellie Pobjoy, Kitty Marvin, Jemma Thomson, Mollie Light, Martha Halford

England Junior C 11-6 Wales B - Elea Barton 4, Talia Roche 2, Cece Talis 2, Anna Roberts, Sara Duncan, Zoe Hollingshead

Other scores:

Scotland Senior A 14-8 Czech Republic
Scotland Senior B 11-12 Germany