April 4th, 2007

England Women Under 19s 29 Canada Under 19s 5

England Women Under 19s made it two wins from two after a 29-5 victory over Canada on Wednesday at RAF Halton.

Just ten days ago the England young guns also defeated the US 31-7 and Giselle Mather’s side will now be looking to keep a clean sheet as they take on Canada in round two on Easter Sunday, kick-off 2pm also at RAF Halton.

Leicester Forest East fullback Emily Scarratt scored a brace of tries with the opening and final try of the afternoon while there were also touchdowns for Ivel Barbarians’ Marlie Packer, Worcester’s Helen Price and Camberley’s Georgina Crabb.

Canada though started strongly with some early pressure but England soon stamped their authority on the game after just 10 minutes. Scarratt was the scorer though a good break from wing Liz Tilley started the move. The forwards then recycled the ball to set-up some fluid passing through the backs. Centre Fran Matthews then set a flying Scarratt loose and the fullback charged 20 metres up-field to score. Brown added the conversion.

That was where the scoring ended in the first-half despite some good attempts by England to break Canada’s try-line. Both sides suffered from handling errors and handing too many penalties away, while Canada also defended fiercely.

The tourists, however, put themselves back into the reckoning just two minutes into the second-half with an early try, but England bounced back on 55 minutes when flanker Packer stole the ball from a Canada turn-over to run in from 25 metres out. Brown missed the conversion, but England soon extended their lead with a third try.

This time the score came courtesy of super-sub Price. Some good distribution from the backs gave Blaydon centre Matthews the opportunity to set-up Price on the right wing.  Brown this time made no mistake with the conversion to put England 19-5 ahead.

England stretched their lead further just nine minutes later when a quick succession of penalties in Canada’s 22 saw Brown put Crabb away in the left corner.  Scarratt then added the final touch with a 70th minute touchdown after a scrum, again in Canada territory, saw the ball spread across the mid-field with Matthews off-loading a short ball to Scarratt from five minutes out.

Gary Street, England Under 19s Programme Manager, said: "This was a good hard working display of rugby today. The forwards worked well and the team generally did the basics right against a big and aggressive Canadian outfit.

“We are now looking forward to the second encounter on Easter Sunday and I am sure both sides will be looking to make improvements.”

England Under 19s are coached by Mather (head coach) and Dave Manders (assistant coach).

England Under 19s

1 Laura Keates (Worcester), 2 Jenny Mills (Worcester), 3 Dawn Avery (Cullompton Ladies), 4 Rowena Burnfield (Richmond), 5 Lucinda Howland (Richmond), 6 Nicola Hoole (Trowbridge RFC), 7 Marlie Packer (Ivel Barbarians), 8 Jo McBain ( North Tawton), 9 Sarah Guest (Worcester), 10 April Brown (Saracens), 11 Liz Tilley (Bath RFC), 12 Sarah McKenna (Old Albanian Saints), 13 Fran Matthews (Blaydon), 14 Holly Le Grave (Basildon), 15 Emily Scarratt (Leicester Forest East). Replacements: 16 Vicky Cornborough (Richmond), 17 Hannah Clark (Old Abanians Saints), 18 Louise Leonard (Blaydon), 19 Juliet Short (Tynedale Panthers), 20 Isabelle Noel-Smith (Cullompton Ladies), 21 Georgina Crabb (Camberley), 22 Helen Price (Worcester RFC)

Tries: Scarratt (2), Packer, Price, Crabb,
Penalties:
Conversions: Brown (2)
Substitutions: Hoole off for Noel Smith (30), McBain off for Leonard (40), Avery off for Cornborough (40), Le Grave off for Price (50), Tilley off for Crabb (55), Mills off for Clark (60), Packer off for Short (70).

Ends…