By Tom Jeffreys
England………………………………….42
Tries: Botterman 5, Wyrwas 18, Packer 30, 49; Breach 38, Jones 57
Conversions: Aitchison 6, 18, 31, 38, 49, 58
Australia………………………………….7
Tries: Masters 54
Conversions: Dallinger 55
England’s Red Roses, whilst not firing on all cylinders, will have impressed new coach John Mitchell with a dominant victory over the Wallaroos in Wellington.
Forwards dominance typified interim coach Louis Deacon’s final game in charge of England as their unstoppable maul produced three tries and laid the platform for one other, as the Red Roses ultimately ran six scores, all converted by player of the match Holly Aitchison, past Australia to make the final score 42-7.
Incoming head coach, John Mitchell, however, will have plenty to work on as England failed to score in the final quarter of the game despite a red card to Australian lock Annabelle Codey.
Mitchell was not involved with squad selection, but finally arrived in camp the day before the game having coached remotely in the lead up to the tournament whilst finishing his contract as defence coach with Japan’s men’s team at the Men’s Rugby World Cup.
Mitchell will take charge fully next week against Canada next Friday with England quickly reaffirming their favourites status in the WXV top tier with their win today.
England stormed to an early lead with a typical set piece try scored by Hannah Botterman. Feigning a maul set up, the ball was popped round to the loosehead peeling round the back of the lineout and she had too much power for Australian defenders from close range. Fly half Holly Aitchison knocked over the extras.
With England dominating early possession, they found themselves back in Australia’s 22 and scored their second try through Ella Wyrwas on her first test start. Some eye-catching quick hands released Jess Breach on the left flank, who beat two tackles before offloading out the third to the supporting scrum half Wyrwas.
Constant Australian ill-discipline was punished clinically by Aitchison whose touch finding allowed England to set up camp in the opposition 22. On the half hour mark one such visit saw Australian second row Annabelle Codey hit English skipper Marlie Packer high, but her punishment was mitigated down to a yellow card.
The consequent lineout saw a familiar outcome; Packer was the beneficiary of a typical England maul that rolled over the line nigh on unopposed. Down to 14 players and without their primary lineout target, Australia’s lineout woes continued allowing England to make their way back into the Wallaroos’ 22.
Another penalty was sent five metres out by Aitchison, and whilst the following maul was sacked well, the ball was recycled easily to Jess Breach who walked over on the left wing. Aitchison maintained her 100% record to give England a, if anything underwhelming, 28-0 lead at half time.
The Red Roses immediately continued their unforgiving pressure on the Australian set piece in the second half, with an eight-woman shove spectacularly pushing Australia off their own ball. Another penalty and maul try was their reward, with Packer scoring again to add to her tally of seven in Six Nations this year.
Back to a full complement, Australia were finally able to respond. A scrum outside the 22 gave centre Arabella McKenzie the platform to bust through. Possession was retained well, forcing England to concede a penalty which scrum half Layne Morgan took quickly to find substitute back rower Ashley Marsters who forced her way over. Carys Dallinger converted to make the scores 35-7 by the 53rd minute.
The Wallaroos failed to tighten the pressure valve, however, with England ruthlessly finding their way back into their 22. Aitchison kicked off short, a penalty was won, kicked to the corner and more clean lineout ball provided a platform for England’s backs to attack. Wyrwas delayed her pass nicely to send Megan Jones through a gap, and the outside centre was able to skip past defenders and over the line.
It was in these phases that Annabelle Codey cynically hit Wyrwas high and late to warrant a second yellow card and force Australia to play the remaining 25 minutes with 14 players. The second row was fortunate to avoid a straight red, which could impact her suspension for the rest of the three week tournament. However, there was no luck involved in Australia’s enterprise for the rest of the game.
Invigorated by a renewed sense of underdog status, Australia were finally able to deny England some territory and the game descended into a battle upfront with both teams showing glimpses of scrum dominance before coughing up possession in phase play.
Australia were close to finishing with a flurry, but five minutes of pressure on England’s try line, which saw substitute Sarah Beckett sin binned, failed to produce a score. With a monumental final 25 minute effort down to 14 players, Australia were able to keep the score at 42-7 by the final whistle.
ENGLAND: Rowland; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Aitchison, Wyrwas; Botterman, Powell, Muir, Galligan, Aldcroft, Allen, Packer, Matthews.
Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Carson, Clifford, Beckett, Hibbert-Jones, Hunt, Bridger, Sing.
Australia: Moleka; Stewart, Friedrichs, McKenzie, Wong; Dallinger, Morgan; Hoy, Naden, Karpani, Leonard, Codey, Palu, Chancellor, Leaney.
Replacements: Talakai, Cheatham, Robinson, Lafai, Marsters, Dougherty, Smith, Miller.
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