The first ever Women’s International between England and Wales was the curtain raiser to the Men’s England against Combined Nations All Stars mid-season match with both games being played at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium in Warrington.
It was Wales first ever test match and with nine players making their debut the Welsh were big outsiders with the pundits and bookies.
It took Carrie Roberts just one hundred seconds to open the England account after a Jodie Cunningham break to close to the line, the centre on hand to take the ball at first receiver and go in. Tara Jane Stanley was unable to add the conversion from wide.
Good defence from Wales kept England at bay until the twentieth minutes when Tara Jones was on hand to take a fumbled ball ten from the Wales line to go over unopposed. Stanley added the conversion herself for 10-0.
Returning the kick-off England were in again after a Vicky Molyneux break set up position and the pass found Jodie Cunningham to go over under the sticks. Stanley added the conversion and England were pulling clear with twenty-five minutes on the clock.
Within a minute Shona Hoyle, on off the bench, went route one to score a thirty metre try after brushing off three tackles. Stanley added her third kick of the night.
On the half hour Fran Goldthorpe scored the fifth England try after a great left to right passing move created space down the right wing. Stanley converted brilliantly from the touchline for a 28-0 score line, England in full control.
England were now scoring at will with Georgia Roche being on hand to run complete a seventy-metre team try by going the last thirty to score under the sticks. Stanley added her fifth kick of the night, Wales visibly running out of steam.
Seventy second after the restart Emily Rudge was the beneficiary as England kept the ball alive through half a dozen pairs of hands and when Stanley added the extras, she brought the forty up. It was starting to get painful for the Welsh.
Caitlin Beevers scored the eighth try of the night when she took a long looping pass to go in on the overlap down the left-hand side. Beth Stott took over the kicking duties but couldn’t find the target.
After Wales knocked on after seventy minutes England moved the ball wide into the hands of Georgia Wilson to go over in the corner and round to get closer to the sticks for the kick. Stott was again unable to add the conversion, England 48-0 ahead.
Emily Rudge got her second to bring up the fifty as she carved her way through a tired and disjointed Wales defence, her second try of the night. This time Stott added the conversion for a score line of 54-0.
The final try of the game came from debutant Hollie Dodd, jinking her way through the defensive line to score under the sticks. Stott added the conversion after the hooter for a final score of 60-0.
This was the one-sided game which many predicted as the England women had a terrific trial game for the upcoming World Cup. Some credit has to go to Wales who did put up some defence for periods of the game, but once England cut loose there was nothing in the Wales arsenal that could stop them.
England: Tara Jane Stanley (6G), Fran Goldthorp (T), Carrie Roberts (T), Amy Hardcastle, Caitlin Beevers (T), Georgia Roche (T), Beth Stott (2G), Grace Field, Tara Jones (T), Paige Travis, Vicky Molyneux, Emily Rudge (2T), Jodie Cunningham (T). Subs: Shona Hoyle (T), Chantelle Crowl, Hollie Dodd (T), Georgia Wilson (T).
Wales: Kathryn Salter, Jess McAuley, Lowri Norkett, Seren Gough-Walters, Eleri Michael, Amberley Ruck, Shaunni Davies, Lauren Aitken, Ffion Lewis, Sara Prosser, Emily Hughes, Charley Mundy, Rafiuke Taylor. Subs: Carys Marsh, Keira McCosh, Danyelle Dinapoli, Sara Jones.
Half-Time: 34-0.
Full-Time: 60-0.
Referee: Aaron Moore.
Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 14-0, 16-0, 20-0, 22-0, 26-0, 28-0, 32-0, 34-0 : HT : 38-0, 40-0, 44-0, 48-0, 52-0, 54-0, 58-0, 60-0 : FT.
