England Women beat New Zealand to seal Series win

England have secured their second consecutive Test Series win over New Zealand with a 17-8 victory in Aldershot yesterday.
With the score stuck at 10-8 in the dying minutes of the game and the World Champions looking threatening, England, down to 14 women, had to dig deep to keep the World Champions at bay but a try by England Sevens sensation Joanne Watmore sealed the deal for Gary Street’s girls.
They will now be looking to secure a clean sweep when the two teams meet again on Saturday at Twickenham.
Facing the wind in the first half, the Red Rose girls had to run the ball and they did it with great effect behind a dominant scrum. The Black Ferns were starved of possession and had to face the barnstorming runs of Richmond flanker Alexandra Matthews who was outstanding all game.
They also showed great composure in the second half to look after the ball better than last Friday. Once the hard work up front was done they got the ball to the wider channels with Emily Scarratt, above, bringing speed and power into England’s attack from full-back to put New Zealand under huge pressure.
The Black Ferns struggled in the first half, especially at the scrum, but a well-taken first-half try kept them in the game.
They found a new lease of life in the second half but, unlike England, poor handling and constant turnovers prevented them from capitalising on their good field position. Their physicality put England on the back foot but the final touch wasn’t there and they had to see the Test-Series stay in England for another year.
England got the scoreboard ticking early with a penalty from Scarratt to reward their early domination but the Black Ferns showed how lethal they could be when winger Shakira Baker went over in the corner on their first meaningful visit into England’s 22 to take a 5-3 lead after 17 minutes.
This wasn’t to damper England’s enthusiasm though as Garry Street’s girls went back on the attack and, after a few missed opportunities, they deservedly went back in front just before the half hour mark.
As fly-half Alice Richardson inherited of the ball on the opposition 22-metre line, she spotted a gap and went for it. She was stopped by a last ditched tackle but found support in Hannah Gallagher and send the young Saracens flanker over for the her first Test try.
Scarratt slotted the conversion and England were back 10-5 in front at the break.
Kelly Brazier reduced the score with a penalty early into the second half but despite creating some good chances, the Kiwis couldn’t score again.
Instead, it was England who had the last word when, even with Gallagher in the bin, England claimed another turnover and send the ball wide to see Watmore go over and send the 1,200-strong crowd off their feet.
For England
Tries: Gallagher, Watmore
Conversions: Scarratt 2
Penalty: Scarratt
Sin bin: Gallagher, Mclean
For New Zealand
Try: Baker
Penalty: Brazier
England: Emily Scarratt; Francesca Matthews, Joanne Watmore, Amber Reed, Michaela Staniford; Alice Richardson; Natasha Hunt; Rosemarie Crowley, Emma Croker, Sophie Hemming; Tamara Taylor, Emily Braund; Alexandra Matthews, Hannah Gallagher, Sarah Hunter (capt.).
Replacements: Victoria Fleetwood, Rochelle Clark, Laura Keates, Rowena Burnfield, Marlie Packer, La Toya Mason, Ceri Large, Katy McLean.
New Zealand: Selica Winiata; Hazel Tubic, Claire Richardson, Kelly Brazier, Shakira Baker; Kendra Cocksedge, Emma Jensen; Karina Stowers, Fiao’o Faamausili (capt.), Kathleen Wilton; Eloise Blackwell, Rawinia Everitt; Aroha Savage, Justine Lavea, Casey Robertson.
Replacements: Ruth McKay, Stephanie TeOhaere-Fox, Aleisha Nelson, Jackie Patea, Lydia Crossman, Zoey Berry, Teresa Te Tamaki, Halie Hurring.
Attendance: 1,200
Star women: Alexandra Matthews and Emily Scarratt – England
NICK VERDIER
Relive all the action here.