England & France ready for U20 “Crunch”

The annual U20 series between England and France remains has a remarkably one-sided affair. Despite French players tending to take up the game later than the English, and despite England’s long-standing and much admired talent development programme, England have only won one of the 13 age group fixtures between the two teams, and that back in 2011 when England had an exceptional team that beat everyone.

Since 2011 they have met 11 times, with 10 French wins and a draw last year at Esher.

France began with their “traditional” warm-up game against a Basque XV earlier this month, which included several French internationals from the Bayonne club.

Despite the strength of the opposition, “Les Bleuettes” powered to an 8-try 44-0 win, Fiona Lecat (Toulouse) and Marie Hamon (Rennes) scoring two each, while Lucie Viacula, Ian Jason, Gabrielle Vernier and Amandine Guilbert scored one each, Andréa Marcial converting two.

Yesterday it was England’s turn, with their annual trip to Aldershot and the powerful British Army XV. It was a successful evening with Ella Wyrwas scoring two tries as England won by 38-15, the other scores coming from Zoe Aldcroft, Zoe Harrison, Catriona McNaney, Leah Bartlet with Harrison knocking over four out of six conversions for a total of 13 points.

The Army scored two tries of their own with wing Jess McAuley-Roberts and England international Bianca Dawson both crossing the whitewash.

The Army hosts took the lead in the ninth minute when McAuley-Roberts used her pace to dive over out wide but England responded soon after when Aldcroft crashed over. They extended their lead on the stroke of half time when Harrison spotted a gap in the opposition defence and she reached out to dot down.

After the break England came out firing and scored tries in the first ten minutes of the half through McNaney and Bartlett with Harrison adding the extras on both occasions. Three minutes before the hour mark Harrison then broke through and fed Wyrwas who raced away to cross underneath the posts but Dawson then scored for the Army eight minutes later.

Wyrwas scored her second when she was on the end of a Harrison grubber seven minutes from time but the Army did register the final points of the match when Ellie Gattlin crashed over in the last play.

England Women U20 head coach Jo Yapp was delighted with her side's performance: "We're pleased the way the players stepped up, the Army are such a physical test for us," she said. "It's fantastic preparation for us heading into the France match, the players were patient and stuck to the patterns that were put in place.

"It's the first time this particular team have played together so once they began to gel the timing started to come and the opportunities opened up for us. When we got it right we looked really good."

France have also announced their squad for the two-game series:

Leïla Bessahli (USA XV féminin Roussillon); Justine Breyne (Montpellier RC); Julie Coudert (RC Chilly Mazarin); Morgane Deschamps (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Maëlle Filopon (Rugby Sassenage Isère); Elisa Guiguet (Rugby Sassenage Isère); Marie Hamon (Stade Rennais Rugby); Ian Jason (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Clara Joyeux (USA Limoges); Oksana Guery Lagache (Lons Rugby Féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Maëlia Lapoujade (Stade Bordelais ASPTT); Fiona Lecat (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Andréa Marcial (Stade Bordelais ASPTT); Philippine Mias (Rugby Sassenage Isère); Léa Murie (Stade Bordelais ASPTT); Marine Pellegris (ASM Romagnat Rugby Féminin); Alicia Riffonneau (Ovalie Caennaise); Romane Silvestre (Ovalie Caennaise); Lindsey Thimon (AC Bobigny 93 Rugby); Charlotte Torres Duxan (Blagnac Saint-Orens Rugby Féminin); Margaux Vandesteene (Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois); Gabrielle Vernier (Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois); Lucie Vinacua (Stade Bordelais ASPTT)

England team vs Army:15. Catriona McNaney (Bristol, University of Exeter); 14. Sophie Tandy (Aylesford Bulls); 13. Ella Wyrwas (Welwyn, Hartpury College); 12. Lagilagi Tuima (Plymouth Albion); 11. Emma Uren (Saracens, St Mary’s University Twickenham); 10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens, Middlesex University); 9. Tazmin Bricknell (Bristol, University of the West of England); 1. Ellena Perry (Saracens, Coventry University); 2. Leah Bartlett (Loughborough, Loughborough College); 3. Ellie Mulhearn (Bristol, Filton College); 4. Molly Morrissey (Lichfield, University of the West of England); 5. Anna Wolf (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University); 6. Sally Stott (Vale of Lune, Edinburgh University); 7. Poppy Leitch (Bristol, University of Exeter); 8. Zoe Aldcroft (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University)

Replacements: 16. Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 17. Jeanine Stephenson (Bristol, University of Exeter), 18. Michaella Roberts (Plymouth Albion), 19. Rosanna Moynihan (Welwyn, Hartpury College), 20. Charlie Wilcock (Waterloo), 21. Brooke Bradley (Bristol), 22. Lucy Attwood (Bristol, University of Bristol), 23. Linzi Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University).

Army Women:Gemma Rowland, Jade Mullen, Carrie Roberts, Louise Dodd, Jess McAuley-Roberts, Kate Hancock, Gemma Stonebridge-Smith; Sarah Batley, Raegan Metters, Bianca Dawson, Ellie Gattlin, Chelsey Snead, Erica Mills, Tara McGlade, Alex Hardy.

Replacements: Natalie Lewis, Carrie Smith, Paula Robinson, Heidi Silcox, Jolandi Joubert, Emily White, Beverley Gilbert, Kayleigh Clemes

England v France:15. Catriona McNaney (Bristol, University of Exeter), 14. Sophie Tandy (Aylesford Bulls), 13. Ella Wyrwas (Welwyn, Hartpury College), 12. Lagilagi Tuima (Plymouth Albion), 11. Emma Uren (Saracens, St Mary’s University, Twickenham), 10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens, Middlesex University), 9. Tazmin Bricknell (Bristol, Hartpury College), 1. Ellena Perry (Saracens, Coventry University), 2. Hannah West (Wasps, Brunel University), 3. Ellie Mulhearn (Bristol, Filton College), 4. Molly Morrissey (Lichfield, Hartpury College), 5. Anna Wolf (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University), 6. Sally Stott (Vale of Lune, Edinburgh University), 7. Poppy Leitch (Bristol, University of Exeter) ©, 8. Zoe Aldcroft (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University).

Replacements:

16. Ellie Gilbert (Exeter Saracens, Hartpury College), 17. Michaella Roberts (Plymouth Albion), 18. Brogan Churm (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University), 19. Rosanna Moynihan (Welwyn, Hartpury College), 20. Charlie Wilcock (Waterloo), 21. Brooke Bradley (Bristol), 22. Lucy Attwood (Bristol, University of Bristol), 23. Brooke Clarke (Worcester Valkyries).

Fixtures:

25/02/2017 : England U20 – France U20 (Esher – 15:00)17/03/2017 : France U20 – England U20 (Mont-de-Marsan – 19:00)