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England women beat Spain to secure second successive World Cup win England women beat Spain to secure second successive World Cup win
(about 1 hour later)
England made it two from two at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France, beating Spain 45-5 in the Pool A clash. England face Canada on Saturday in a pool decider after enjoying their second huge victory in four days, before their group rivals overwhelmed Samoa. The flanker Marlie Packer scored two of their six tries in a dominant display that leaves her head coach, Gary Street, with a selection dilemma in the back row.
Head coach Gary Street’s side scored six tries to Spain’s one, with Kay Wilson, Danielle Waterman, Laura Keates, Claire Allan and Marlie Packer - with two - all scoring and Emily Scarratt adding 15 points with the boot. Spain were more organised than Samoa had been four days previously, keeping their shape apart from a 10-minute spell at the start of the second-half when England scored three tries, but their skill level was low and they were laboured in their passing, uncertain in their handling and deficient at the lineout, where they wasted several good attacking positions poor throws.
After a cagey opening England broke the deadlock when a deft grubber through from fly-half Ceri Large bounced perfectly for Wilson to jump on for her third try of the tournament. England, who had the clear beating of their opponents from the outset, were patient, sticking to a plan which involved kicking for territory and driving through the forwards, having been more unstructured against Samoa. They led 17-0 at the interval before raising their intensity after the break. Their one disappointment was conceding their first try of the competition 14 minutes from the end when Marina Bravo finished off Spain’s one move of note.
Scarratt converted the try from wide, and the Lichfield centre duly added a penalty after 33 minutes. Spain felt insulted that their opponents made a raft of personnel changes from the Samoa game but the gulf in quality was evident from the outset. Indeed England were forced to make a further switch when winger Lydia Thompson strained a hamstring in the warm-up. Claire Allan filled her position from the centre, with Emily Scarratt moving off the bench into the midfield and kicking seven goals from seven attempts.
At 10-0 Spain continued to press, but some dancing feet from Waterman saw her get over the line for her 35th international try. “Our plan was to see all 26 players in action in the first two matches,” said Street. “We started slowly against Spain, knowing we would have to be patient. We got ourselves into good positions and space eventually came our way. We will have some fresh legs to come into contention for Canada, but there will be tough choices ahead of what will be a very difficult game.”
England went into the break 17-0 up, and started the second half with real pace. The wing Kay Wilson gave England the lead when she outpaced three defenders to reach Ceri Large’s chip to the line and, after Scarratt had kicked a penalty, Danielle Waterman shrugged off Bravo’s challenge and stepped away from the full-back Maria Cabane to score under the posts.
First, Keates rumbled over to score after strong work from the pack before Allan was on hand to finish off a smart team move across the line for 31-0 and the bonus point. Allan secured the bonus point nine minutes into the second-half, supporting Large’s break after the replacement prop Laura Keates had been at the bottom of a 15-metre driving maul for England’s third try. When Packer scored her first try, shrugging off five defenders on a powerful, arcing run, England looked likely to surpass the 65 points they had scored against Samoa.
Scarratt converted both with ease and had her sixth successful kick after Packer barged her way over the line for her first try of the World Cup. Spain, though, rallied and Bravo’s try was reward for a refusal to buckle, even if England had the final word with the last play of the game when another powerful driving maul earned Packer her brace.
With just over 10 minutes to play Spain were rewarded with their first try after a spell of pressure on England’s line - Marina Bravo eventually diving over. “We will look at our performance and see what went well and what areas we need to tweak ahead of Canada,” said the England captain, Sarah Hunter. “We lost our way at times against Samoa and we knew Spain would come at us. We went through the phases, kept our shape and played the game in the right areas.”
But it was England who had the final say. Packer scored her second try after more strong work from the pack and Scarratt rounded off the win with the conversion, her seventh from seven attempts. England Waterman (Hunt, 61); Wilson, Scarratt, Reed (Burford, 50), Allan; Large, Mason; Purdy, Fleetwood (Croker, 61), Hemming (Keates, ht), McGilchrist (Taylor, 54), Essex, Hunter (capt; Fisher, 50), Packer, Matthews.
England captain Sarah Hunter said: “It was a tough game, we knew that Spain would come at us and cause us problems. Tries Packer 2, Wilson, Waterman, Keates, Allan. Cons Scarratt 6. Pen Scarratt.
“It was a case of playing in the right areas and hoping that we would get the rewards - and eventually they came. Spain Cabane; Rial (Etxebarria, 58), Schiavon, Pla, Martínez (B García, 73); Bravo, P García; Rico (Sequedo, 51), González, R García (Redondo, 51), Gasso (Alameda, 56), Ribera, Medin, Del Pan, Aigneren (capt).
“Canada up next will be a huge test for us, we’ll look at this game and take what we can out of it and then switch attention to that match on Saturday which will be a difficult game as they are an excellent side.” Try Bravo.
Head coach Street said: “We had a plan going into these first two games - we wanted to give everyone a chance and we wanted to see all 26 players in action. Referee J Beard (New Zealand)
“I thought that we started quite slowly today but we knew that we would have to be patient, and that proved to be the case. Space eventually came our way and we got ourselves into some good positions.”
Street made sure to pay special tribute to his in-form fullback Scarratt.
He added: “It’s great to have a kicking option like Emily Scarratt - I’ve seen a lot of a kicking performances from women over the years, but that was one of the best, if not the best, I’ve ever seen.
“To get seven from seven in the pressure of a World Cup is a testament to her character.
“Looking ahead to Canada, we have some fresh legs who will come into contention, but there will be some tough calls to make ahead of what promises to be a very difficult game.”