Geoff Richards’ side stormed into the knock-out stages of the tournament thanks to a dominant performance by the England pack coupled with some impressive runs and handling skills from the backs, with the victory never really looking in doubt from the early stages of the game.

Henley’s Danielle Waterman and Wasps’ Sue Day both grabbed braces of tries to ease England to the win, but the victory was whole-heartedly a team effort with each member of the 22-woman squad deserving a share of the points.

The victory hands England their second win over Les Bleus in less than six months following another powerful performance against the French in March, when England took the Six Nations crown with a 28-0 triumph.

England did however suffer an early scare in the opening minutes of this game when a knock-on from the kick-off saw their rivals take advantage and work their way up-field. The heavy-weight French pack drove their way over the line, but the score was deemed as held-up, leaving a relieved England to start all over again. And they did just that.

With the blustery wind working in England’s favour Waterman put her teammates on the road to victory with an early ninth minute try. The winger, making her first start of the tournament, took the five points but it all started with a well executed line-out which England then drove forward. Skipper Jo Yapp recycled the ball out into the midfield to Kim Shaylor and then centre Day made space with a superb break. Day was brought down short of the try-line but some good support from England saw the fast ball popped out to Waterman who took the pass safely and dived over the line. Saracens’ Karen Andrew, back in at fly-half after missing England’s win over South Africa, missed the conversion but put England 8-0 up on 21 minutes with a successful penalty.

England were close to going another try clear on the half-hour mark when a great break from Waterman saw her jinx her way through France’s defence. The winger was brought down, but the forwards were in support and muscled their way over the try-line only for the referee this time to deny England the try for being held-up. 

It did not matter though as England took a moral-boosting 13-0 lead into the break just minutes later with Waterman claiming her second try. Again, England’s pack was at the heart of the move driving forward on to the French try-line. Folkestone’s Catherine Spencer made a dive for the line from the back of the maul only to be brought down painfully short. The quick-hands of Yapp, however, ensured the score didn’t go a miss with the scrum-half spinning the ball out-wide to Waterman on the right wing, who was free to cruise over for another touchdown.

England continued where they left off in the second-half with the on-form Day claiming her first try of the afternoon with 46 minutes gone on the clock. Worcester wing Shaylor made a great break through the French defence to make vital space up-field before off-loading to Day. She was again tackled but England were once again working like a well-oiled machine with numbers in support. They managed to retain possession in France’s 22 with the ball coming out of a ruck to Waterman and then fullback Charlotte Barras set-up Day to finish off the move. Andrew’s conversion put England 20-0 up.

Just seven minutes later and vice-captain Day claimed her sixth try of the tournament to make her the joint leading try-scorer of the World Cup. The 33-year-old found a great line to swerve her way outside of two French defenders to score. Andrew’s conversion put England into a 27-0 lead.

France saved their blushes and also salvaged their ambitions of reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup with a 77th minute try. This time they made the most of a well-worked line-out to get the ball out to the right wing. They worked well to get behind England’s defence leaving centre Lucie Elodie to set-up Fanny Horta for the touchdown. Fly-half and skipper Estelle Sartini missed the conversion but added a penalty in extra-time, but their score came to late to stop England from securing their place in the final four.

Head coach Richards said: “This was a great team performance. The forwards had a superb game and provided the backs with exactly what they needed to get the points on the board. I am delighted that we have achieved our goal of winning all our pool games to book our place in the semi-finals.

“We are of course expecting nothing less than a fierce battle against Canada.  Playing on your home soil can be a big advantage.  They had a disappointing game against New Zealand, but they’ve got better and better. I know that we will have another tough game on our hands to overcome if we are to get into the final of the Rugby World Cup for a second consecutive tournament. However, we are looking forward to a hard game because that is what this team thrive on.”

In the other Rugby World Cup semi-final reigning World Champions New Zealand, who defeated Scotland 21-0 today, will play France.

England

1 Rochelle Clark (Henley), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 3 Vanessa Gray (Wasps),
4 Jennifer Sutton (Richmond), 5 Tamara Taylor  (Thirsk), 6 Georgia Stevens (Clifton), 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), 8 Catherine Spencer (Folkestone), 9 Jo Yapp (Worcester) (C), 10 Karen Andrew (Saracens), 11 Kim Shaylor (Worcester), 12 Kim Oliver (Clifton), 13 Sue Day (Wasps) (VC), 14 Danielle Waterman (Henley), 15 Charlotte Barras (Lichfield). Replacements: 16 Selena Rudge  (Wasps), 17 Vanessa Huxford (Wasps), 18 Jenny Lyne (Richmond), 19 Helen Clayton  (Saracens), 20 Amy Turner (Wasps), 21 Shelley Rae (Wasps),
22 Michaela Staniford (Henley).

Tries: Waterman (2), Day (2)
Conversions: Andrew (2)
Penalties: Andrew
Substitutions: Lyne for Sutton (35, blood), Huxford for Gray (46, blood), Rudge for Garnett (60), Staniford for Day (60), Clayton for Stevens (65), Lyne for Sutton (65), Rae for Andrew (65), Turner for Yapp (69)

France

1 Rosa Marce, 2 Laetitia Salles, 3 Fanny Gelis, 4 Maylis Bonnin, 5 Violaine Aubree, 6 Sandrine Jaureguiberry, 7 Corinne Devroute, 8 Delphine Plantet,   
9 Stéphanie Provost, 10 Estelle Sartini (C), 11 Céline Allainmat, 12 Dalila Boukerma, 13 Lucie Elodie, 14 Fanny Horta, 15 Christelle Le Duff. Replacements:  16 Anne Sophie Canizares, 17 Danièle Irazu, 18 Marie Charlotte Hebel, 19 Clotilde Flaugere, 20 Aline Sagols, 21 Catherine Devillers,   
22 Marion Talayrach. 

Tries: Horta
Conversions:
Penalties: Sartini

Half-time score: England 13 France 0

Referee: George Ayoub (Australia)
Touch Judge 1: Kim Smit (South Africa)

Touch Judge 2: Todd Van Vliet (Canada)

England’s World Cup Schedule:

August 31st   England v USA at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton,
KO 12am BST WON 18-0
September 4th  England v South Africa at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton    KO 9.30pm BST WON 74-8
September 8th  England v France at St. Albert RFC, Edmonton
   KO Mid-night BST WON 27-8
September 12th  Semi-finals:
1st v 4th (M19), Ellerslie Rugby Park , KO TBC 
2nd v 3rd (M20), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO TBC
5th v 8th (M21), St. Albert, KO 9.30pm BST
6th v 7th (M22), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 9.30pm BST
9th v 12th (M23), St. Albert, KO 7pm BST
10th v 11th (M24), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 7pm BST
September 16th  Consolation Finals (All Ellerslie Rugby Park):
Loser M21 v Loser M22, KO mid-night BST
Winner M23 v Winner M24, KO 9.30pm BST
Loser M23 v Loser M24, KO 7pm BST  
September 17th  Finals (All at the Commonwealth Stadium)
Winner M21 v Winner M 22, KO 7pm BST
Loser M19 v Loser M20, KO 9.30pm BST

Ends..