England miss out in World Cup Final

England 17 New Zealand 25

England came within touching distance of becoming the first ever nation to hold both the men’s and the women’s Rugby World Cup titles following a gallant team display at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Canada.

Geoff Richards’ side were just three points adrift of New Zealand when an injury-time try for New Zealand full-back Amiria Marsh sealed a phenomenal third consecutive World Cup final win for the Black Ferns.

England, however, can hold their heads up high with a performance that easily ranked as not only the most pulsating match of the tournament, but also a tremendous advertisement for women’s rugby as a whole.

The Red Roses certainly had the Black Ferns, who’d cruised into the final conceding only 17 points in four matches, rattled from the very first whistle with Saracens fly-half Karen Andrew underlining England’s intentions with a perfectly struck third minute penalty.

For the next half-hour England took the game to New Zealand, dominating possession and territory. The Black Ferns dodged several England bullets’, including a near touchdown for Folkestone number eight Catherine Spencer, who drove her way to the line after a pick-up from the base of a scrum. She was held-up painfully short and in the end England paid the price for not converting their efforts into points with their rivals taking a 10-3 lead at half-time after a 38th minute try.

New Zealand, who had earlier drawn level with an Emma Jensen penalty, benefited from a well executed cross-field kick by Marsh. She found a gap on the right to set-up Melissa Ruscoe, who then offloaded to scorer Monalisa Codling. Scrum-half Jensen added the conversion to create the seven point cushion and with Andrew missing a long-range penalty minutes later the Black Ferns headed into the break ahead.

England took another cruel blow after the restart with wing Stephanie Mortimer claiming her first try following some terrific team play between the backs and the forwards.

Jensen missed the conversion and England were back playing catch-up and they did so in style. Crushing tackles from the likes of Maggie Alphonsi, Kim Shaylor and Rochelle Clark as well as domination by the pack up-front saw England back on top and dominating possession.

New Zealand found themselves under severe pressure in their own 22 for much of the next 15 minutes and England’s efforts were finally rewarded when referee Simon McDowell awarded a 48th minute penalty try for consistent infringements in the scrum. Andrew duly converted to put England 10-15 adrift.

With England’s commitment unrelenting and New Zealand also stepping up a gear the scene was set for a tremendous finale. England, however, couldn’t find the overlap to get the points on the board while the Black Ferns continued to attack from side to side. Wing Claire Richardson nearly touched down to score, but Shaylor again executed another superb try-saving tackle to keep England within touching distance.

Finally the deadlock was broken on 72 minutes when New Zealand lock Victoria Heighway collected off the top of the line-out and was driven over by her fellow forwards for her second try of the tournament, stretching their lead to 20-10.

England weren’t down and out though and a well executed line-out, catch and drive saw England’s most capped player of all time, Helen Clayton, being driven over on 79 minutes. Replacement Shelley Rae struck the conversion to put England three points adrift, only for a break by Mortimer who found Marsh, who again had the pace and space, claiming the final score of the day in injury-time.

England head coach Richards said: “I’m not disappointed with the performance. I am disappointed with the result. Our players were absolutely magnificent. They gave it everything they had.

“We wanted to pressurise New Zealand up-front, take the game to them and deny them any space and we did that for most of the game. Unfortunately, we were unable to convert all the territory we had into points. We were the far better side in the first-half but we went down 10-3 at the break because of that reason.

“After the break we clawed our way back to 20-17 and we still had hope. It was a magnificent performance from the team after the early New Zealand try. The players just refused to give up and showed phenomenal spirit and determination.

“Despite the result I am so proud of our players, the management team and all our supporters who have come out to Canada as well as all those at home. Everyone has been magnificent.

“From here, we’ll regroup. We’ve got an exciting young crop of players coming through, some of whom were here today. We have the system in place and our programmes are producing rugby players who can take on the best in the world.”

England

1 Rochelle Clark (Henley), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 3 Vanessa Gray (Wasps), 4 Jennifer Sutton (Richmond), 5 Jenny Lyne (Saracens), 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 Tamara Taylor (Thirsk), 19 Helen Clayton (Saracens), 20 Amy Turner (Wasps), 21 Shelley Rae (Wasps), 22 Nicky Crawford (Worcester).

Tries: Penalty try (Andrew), Helen Clayton

Conversions: Rae

Penalties: Andrew

Substitutions: Taylor for Lyne (62), Huxford for Gray (65), Rae for Andrew (67), Turner for Oliver (74), Clayton for Spencer (74), Rudge for Garnett (74).

New Zealand

1 Diane Maliukaetau, 2 Farah Palmer (C), 3 Casey Robertson, 4 Monalisa Codling, 5 Victoria Heighway, 6 Melissa Ruscoe, 7 Rochelle Martin, 8 Linda Itunu, 9 Emma Jensen, 10 Anna Richards, 11 Stephanie Mortimer, 12 Exia Edwards, 13 Huriana Manuel, 14 Claire Richardson, 15 Amiria Marsh. Replacements: 16 Fiao'o Fa'amausili, 17 Helen Vaaga, 18 Kimberly Smith,

19 Shannon Willoughby, 20 Waimania Teddy, 21 Rebecca Hull, 22 Hannah Myers.

Tries: Codling, Mortimer, Heighway, Marsh

Conversions: Jensen

Penalties: Jensen

Half-time score: England 3 New Zealand 10

Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Touch Judge: George Ayoub (Australia)

Touch Judge: Christine Hanizet (France)

England 20 Canada 14

England will play New Zealand in the final of the IRB Rugby World Cup on Sunday September 17th in what will be a re-run of the 2002 tournament finale.

Four years ago the Black Ferns triumphed 19-9 in the Barcelona Olympic Stadium but England, who still have eleven members of the 2002 squad in their ranks, will be looking to turn the tables on the competition favourites at the Commonwealth Stadium and lift the illustrious World Cup trophy for the first time since 1994.

England’s route into the final was no easy ride though with host-nation and under-dogs Canada, who had previously lost to England four times in the last three World Cups, rising to the occasion to produce the match of the tournament at Ellerslie Rugby Park in Edmonton.

From the first whistle, though, it had looked like it was going to be a very different story. The Six Nations Grand Slam champions started well, making a mess of the Canadian scrum as they piled on the pressure in the early stages.

Geoff Richards’ side were duly rewarded for their efforts with a seventh minute try. Lichfield fullback Charlotte Barras claimed the points, but the move started with some great forward pressure which saw Folkestone’s Catherine Spencer pick-up and drive to the line. The number eight was tackled just short of the try-line but skipper Jo Yapp recycled the ball to keep the momentum going. With the direction of attack shifting from the right to the left wing Karen Andrew and Michaela Staniford set-up Barras who blasted her way through Canada’s defence to score. Saracens fly-half Andrew missed the conversion but put England 8-0 up with a penalty minutes later.

England continued to dominate possession in the first quarter and Worcester wing Kim Shaylor looked like she had done enough to put the Red Roses two tries clear, only for a magnificent try-saving tackle by Canadian full-back Heather Moyse, who bundled Shaylor into touch on the try-line, to prevent the score.

Spencer too also came close to scoring before the half-hour, but it wasn’t to be and Canada instead, buoyed on by their vociferous home crowd, knuckled down and showed tremendous team spirit to disrupt England at the breakdown and exploit their mistakes with some impressive running from their backs to stay within touching distance at half-time.

After the break Shaylor looked like she would put England firmly back on track with her first try of the tournament. Again tremendous pressure from England gave them territory in Canada’s 22 and their persistence paid off when Canada’s defensive line finally broke with Yapp, continuingly finding support, spotted centre Rachel Burford, whose tremendous flat pass, set-up Shaylor on the left wing.

Andrew missed the conversion and it was then that Canada started to reap the rewards of their efforts with wing Julie Foster claiming the home side’s first try. Moyse started the counter attack, collecting a loose England ball, and charged up the length of the field. Barras couldn’t catch her opposite number and although Shaylor made an impressive tackle on Moyse to bring her to the ground, the talented number 15 kept the ball in play, offloading to Foster in support who cruised over the line. Skipper Kelly McCallum added the conversion to put Canada just six points adrift.

England had their chances to go a converted try clear with two penalties but both Andrew and substitute Shelley Rae failed in their attempts. Canada meanwhile, clearly inspired by their score, continued to fight hard for possession and disrupted England’s scrum effectively, making their rivals wait until the 77th minute to claim their third try.

Barras, who made her debut against Canada in 2004, was again the scorer though it was the forwards who put the groundwork in place. This time Spencer picked up from the back of the scrum in Canada’s 22. Yapp recycled and Rae’s great service set-up Sue Day and then Barras. Rae this time added the conversion, but England were still not home and dry.

In the dying minutes of the game Moyse put Canada just six points adrift with her tremendous pace leaving England unable to bring her to the ground. McCallum converted leaving Canada trailing 20-14, and to the crowd’s delight Moyse was again on the charge minutes after the restart with another blistering break. Only a try-saving tackle by Shaylor five metres from the try-line thwarted her attempt to steal the victory in injury time.

England Women’s head coach Richards said: “There were a few nervous moments there but we got through it in the end. The first-half was very frustrating, considering we had so much possession but only eight points on the board. We created a lot of opportunities but we didn’t finish them off and Canada made us pay for it and I am sure that also gave them heart.

“We always knew they were going to be tough and the combination of Canada being the underdogs and having home support certainly was an advantage for them. To their credit they rose to the occasion and made this a fantastic game. It was certainly a very exciting match.

“We now have four days to go before the final and we are going to concentrate on rest and recovery. We’re where we want to be and now it’s all about what happens on finals day. We have worked really hard for this and now we have the opportunity to have another stab at winning the World Cup.”

In the other semi-final New Zealand beat France 40-10.

ENGLAND

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

Tries: Barras (2), Shaylor

Conversions: Rae

Penalties: Andrew

Substitutions: Alphonsi for Clayton (56), Rae for Andrew (56), Gray for Huxford (blood, 60), Day for Staniford (62), Huxford for Storie (66), Garnett for Rudge (73), Taylor for Sutton (73).

CANADA

1 Leslie Cripps, 2 Raquel Eldridge, 3 Heather McDonald, 4 Rania Burns,

5 Summer Yeo, 6 Maureen MacMahon, 7 Gillian Florence, 8 Katie Murray,

9 Julia Suguwara, 10 Kelly McCallum (C), 11 Julie Foster, 12 Kristy Heemskerk,

13 Sarah Ulmer, 14 Maria E. Gallo, 15 Heather Moyse. Replacements: 16 Lesley McKenzie, 17 Allison Lamoureux, 18 Dawn MacDonald, 19 Megan Gibbs, 20 Heather Jaques, 21 Erin Dance, 22 Mandy Marchak

Tries: Foster, Moyse

Conversions: McCallum (2)

Penalties:

Half-time score: England 8 Canada 0

Referee: Sarah Corrigan (Australia)

Touch Judge 1: Kristina Mellor (New Zealand)

Touch Judge 2: Dana Teagarden (USA)

Touch Judge 2: Todd Van Vliet (Canada)

England's World Cup Schedule

Group Matches

August 31st England 18 USA 0 at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton, (KO 5.30pm local time)
September 4th England 74 South Africa 8 at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton, (KO 2.30pm local time)

September 8th England 27 France 8 at St. Albert, Edmonton, (KO 4pm local time)

September12th Semi-final: England 20 Canada 14