Women's Six Nations: Week Two Review

With two games gone it is looking more and more likely that France will provide the only major threat to England's Grand Slam hopes. England romped to another convincing victory leaving little doubt about their favourites tag.

With two games gone it is looking more and more likely that France will provide the only major threat to England's Grand Slam hopes. England romped to another convincing victory leaving little doubt about their favourites tag.

England Women 76 Italy Women 6

England Women maintained their tilt at a third consecutive Grand Slam with a 76-6 demolition of Italy Women at Stadio Tre Font on Saturday.

Having accounted for Wales Women in the first round, 55-0, the reigning champions took their Italian counterparts to the cleaners with a twelve-try rout.

Full-back Charlotte Barras and wings Danielle Waterman and Katherine Merchant all claimed braces of tries, while Rochelle Clark, Maggie Alphonsi, Michaela Staniford, Jane Leonard and Jo McGilchrist also claimed tries.

It was the Italians who drew first blood, a third minute drop goal from fly-half Veronica Schiavon. It was one-way traffic after that though as England secured the game before the break, heading into half-time with a 40-3 advantage.

Again Italy scored the first points of the half with a Paola Zangirolami penalty and again England then took over. They added a further six tries in the second half to complete a convincing victory, leaving coach Gary Street delighted.

“This is a really pleasing performance that saw several flashes of excellent play,” said Street.

“What was especially pleasing was the continuity of play which kept the ball alive and enabled us to score so many tries.”

The Scorers:

For Italy Women:
Pen: Zangirolami
Drop goal: V.Schiavon

For England Women:
Tries: Barras 2, Waterman 2, Merchant 2, Leonard, Massarella, McGilchrist, Clark, Alphonsi, Staniford.
Cons: Richardson 5, McLean 3.

Yellow Card: Waterman (England)

The Teams:

Italy Women: 15 Michela Tondinelli, 14 Federica Carlet, 13 Silvia Pizzati, 12 Paola Zangirolami (c), 11 Anna Mariani, 10 Veronica Schiavon, 9 Valentina Schiavon, 8 Silvia Gaudino, 7 Giuliana Campanella, 6 Sara Pettinelli, 5 Lara Fabbri, 4 Martina Barbini, 3 Flavia Severin, 2 Elisa Cucchiella, 1 Cristina Sanfilippo.
Replacements: 16 Veronica Ceradini, 17 Greta Petese, 18 Alessandra Mestriner, 19 Daniela Gini, 20 Licia Stefan, 21 Elisa Facchini, 22 Samatha Pagli.

England Women: 15 Charlotte Barras, 14 Michaela Staniford, 13 Claire Allan, 12 Rachael Burford, 11 Danielle Waterman, 10 Alice Richardson, 9 Amy Turner, 8 Catherine Spencer (c), 7 Margaret Alphonsi, 6 Karen Jones, 5 Sarah Beale, 4 Tamara Taylor, 3 Rochelle Clark, 2 Amy Garnett, 1 Sophie Hemming.
Replacements: 16 Samantha Dale, 17 Katy Storie, 18 Joanna McGilchrist, 19 Jane Leonard, 20 Katy McLean, 21 Katherine Merchant, 22 Victoria Massarella.

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Wales Women 23 Scotland Women 6

Wales Women got back to winning ways on Sunday with a 23-6 victory over Scotland Women at Taffs Well RFC.

Having gone down to England in their opening game the Welsh hit-back thanks largely to the boot of veteran full-back Non Evans, whose three penalties and two conversions paved the way for victory.

Evans traded an early penalty with Scotland's Sarah Gill before Louise Rickard, winning her 97th cap, rounded off a sweeping move to send the hosts into the break leading 10-7.

Gill closed the gap after the break with her second penalty but that was as close as Scotland got, despite a prolonged period of pressure on the Welsh line. The hosts held out and soon after extended their lead through two quick-fire Evans penalties.

With the game safe Rickard scored her second try deep into injury time to give the score a slightly flattering look, although head coach Jason Lewis was pleased with the improved performance.

“We produced a much improved performance on last week's outing, particularly in the first half,” he said.

“This win and performance has put our campaign back on course which was important after the disappointing result last week. We have Italy next – at home – and if we win that game we will travel away to Ireland with everything to play for.”

The Scorers:

For Wales Women:
Tries: Rickard
Cons: N.Evans 2
Pens: N.Evans 3

For Scotland Women:
Pens: Gill 2

The Teams:

Wales Women: 15 Non Evans, 14 Louise Rickard, 13 Rachel Poolman, 12 Clare Flowers, 11 Hayley Baxter, 10 Naomi Thomas, 9 Amy Day, 8 Mel Berry (c), 7 Nicola Evans, 6 Catrina Nicholas, 5 Claire Donovan, 4 Gemma Hallett, 3 Jenny Davies, 2 Rhian Bowden, 1 Louise Horgan.
Replacements: 16 Claire Horgan, 17 Ruth Evans , 18 Rachel Taylor, 19 Jenny Doyle, 20 Laura Prosser, 21 Philippa Tuttiett, 22 Michaela Reed.

Scotland Women: 15 Lynsey Douglas, 14 Hazel Bielinski, 13 Veronica Fitzpatrick, 12 Suzi Newton, 11 Tanya Griffith, 10 Louise Dalgleish, 9 Sarah Gill, 8 Sonia Cull, 7 Lynne Reid, 6 Lana Blyth, 5 Lindsay Wheeler, 4 Jilly McCord (c), 3 Beth Dickens, 2 Sarah-Louise Walker, 1 Heather Lockhart.
Replacements: 16 Joan Hutchinson, 17 Mary Lafaiki, 18 Alex Pratt, 19 Louise Moffat, 20 Laura Steven, 21 Cara De Silva, 22 Julie Sanaghan.

Referee: Paul Knowles (England)
Touch judges: Greg Morgan (Wales), Jason Langdon (Wales)

France Women 26 Ireland Women 17

France Women continued their pursuit of England with a hard-fought 26-17 victory over Ireland Women at St Gratien on Sunday.

Just two points separated these two teams last year and it is a measure of how far Ireland have come in recent seasons that they now travel to France not just hopeful but expectant when they take on a French team who are consistently ranked among the world's top four sides.

It did not start well for Ireland though as they soon found themselves behind to a seventh minute try from second row Melanie Gauffinet, converted by Estelle Sartini.

Ireland eventually began to get stuck in up front and Germaine Healy crashed over to level the scores. Their joy was short-lived however as veteran number eight Delphine Plantet ensured the hosts held a seven point lead at half-time.

Another French try, this time from full-back Caroline Ladagnous, shortly after the break stretched the lead further although a Niamh Briggs penalty reduced the lead.

Buoyed by constant pressure on the French line Ireland scored again to reduce the gap to just two points, hooker Jess Limbert with the try.

With the game in the balance French wing Céline Allainmat pounced on a lose Irish pass to race away and seal the game and ensure France keep the pressure firmly on England.

Ireland coach John O'Sullivan was left to rue missed chances.

“We are disappointed with this result because we really were well in the game. We scored two good tries through our hard working pack but what was out undoing was our conceding of tries at crucial times,” O'Sullivan said.

“We gave