England rediscover best form

By a country mile it was England’s best display in some time - perhaps since beating New Zealand in 2012 -  and showing improvement in almost every area since their last game against Canada, England’s powerful scrummaging and clinical finishing had the edge over an Ireland side who never quite got to grips with them over 80 minutes.

England’s scrum laid the platform for excellent performances from players like Emily Scarratt and Danielle Waterman - the former also kicking superbly to put the game beyond Ireland’s reach when it mattered.

It will be a painful near-end to the competition for Ireland - who do still have to play though one more match for seeding - but England’s power and experience proved the all important difference.

England began powerfully and at the first scrum showed their intent with a huge shove that pushed Ireland off their own ball.

Katy Mclean prodded a kick through and Ireland were back defending n their own 22. Surviving the onslaught was vital for Ireland as England probed and they won an important turnover to ease the pressure.

Then came the first score. Ireland’s line-out had started very well and from one around the halfway it allowed space for Lynne Cantwell and Grave Davitt in midfield

Sophie Spence rode a couple of tackles to get Ireland into the 22 and when a penalty finally came, Ireland went for broke and pushed the ball into the corner.

From the line out, a huge driving maul shoved England back and Ireland dived over the line. Amy Perrett went to the TMO and the try was given with Tania Rosser getting the vital touch

England were back into it right away with Waterman in particular a massive threat and suddenly Ireland were back defending their own try line. Patient work up front gave England good field position and from a series of drives prop Rocky Clarke dove over to get England on the board at 7-5.

England’s scrum continued to cause Ireland massive problems and when they pushed the Irish off their third put in, Scarratt took advantage of the penalty to give them an 8-7 lead.

Ireland compounded the score when Niamh Briggs kicked the restart dead and from the scrum Scarratt broke away and raced 40 metres to get within inches of the try line. When the ball moved wide, Kat Merchant finished brilliantly to push England further ahead and with Scarratt superbly converting suddenly England were 15-7 up.

Ireland had a chance before halftime to get within  metres of the line but a second error from Briggs saw the ball go dead from the penalty and England pushed their way back upfield and in the last play win a penalty which Scarratt converted to make it 18-7 at the break.

Ireland you felt had to score next when they returned after halftime and they couldn’t manage it with England started strongly.

A line break from Rachael Burford helped Scarratt through a hole and though Cantwell did very well to stop her, England won the penalty and the lead was pushed out to 21-7 with the former having no problem with the kick.

Jen Murphy made an immediate impact off the bench but there was little she could do to help Ireland with their scrum woes.  With England shoving their way again into the Irish 22, two huge surges leading to space for Kay Wilson to finish brilliantly in the corner for a 26-7 lead.

England could afford to make a raft of changes after the hour mark as really there was not going to be any way back for Ireland. whose fairytale story had come to a harsh end.

Marlie Packer added more gloss to the scoreline with a great finish after 70 minutes and Ceri Large converted for a 33-7 lead and the same player added another as she touched down after a neat kick through from Burford.

ENGLAND: 1 Rochelle Clark (Worcester); 2 Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield) ; 3 Sophie Hemming (Bristol); 4 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks); 5 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps); 6 Alexandra Matthews (Richmond); 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens); 8 Sarah Hunter (Lichfield, vice-captain) ; 15 Danielle Waterman (Bristol); 14 Katherine Merchant (Worcester); 13 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield); 12 Rachael Burford (Thurrock); 11 Kay Wilson (Bristol); 10 Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, captain) ; 9 La Toya Mason (Wasps)

Replacements; 16 Emma Croker (Richmond); 17 Laura Keates (Worcester); 18 Rebecca Essex (Richmond); 19 Marlie Packer (Wasps); 20 Natasha Hunt (Lichfield); 21 Ceri Large (Worcester); 22 Claire Allan (Richmond)

IRELAND:Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht), Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O'Brien (Highfield/Munster)

Replacements: Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster) Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster) Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile)