That was a pretty professional showing from England, who have won two from two and scored 20 tries in the process. Plenty to work on but that’s what these games are for, isn’t it? With a couple of minutes to go, England’s next opponents, USA are 31-0 up against Spain. That game on Thursday is shaping as a beauty.
As Marlie Packer collects her player of the match award, it’s time for me to go: thank you for your company, your tweets and your emails: it’s been great fun. Gerard Meagher’s match report will be with you any minute. Speak soon!
Here are the negatives: there were, England know, too many handling errors today. And they missed too many kicks. “Let’s be frank, the goalkicking was appalling,” says David Flatman.
20 tries in two games will do. That said, New Zealand scored 19 on their own earlier!
Satisfied England are huddling for the debrief from Simon Middleton, the coach.
“A good day the office,” says Emily Scarratt. “Loads out there that was good, but plenty we can improve on.” She’s absolutely right.
USA! USA! USA!, who England play on Thursday, are leading Spain 31-0.
Job done, then.
England have scored 56 points – in exactly the same denomination as last time out (10 tries, but just three of them converted) – again, and have made a very fine start to this World Cup.
Today, Marlie Packer was brilliant at No7, while Danielle Waterman was everywhere, and could have scored more than her two tries. Emily Scarratt got two as well, and there were the usual classy touches from her and Katy McLean. There are some slight worries from the tee, but plenty of the missed conversions came from very wide, so no great drama on that front.
Full-time! England 56-13 Italy
Marlie Packer is your player of the match, by the way. She was quality from openside. There’s a scrum on halfway after another botched kick-off. England win it, and Mason nails it out. That’s the win for England, their 11th on the spin.
Try! England 56-13 Italy (Wilson-Hardy 78)
From the kick-off, England go left and look dynamic. Now they go right, and Thompson is at it again. Cleall carries well, then McLean sends a cute inside pass to Wilson-Hardy, who scores! That’s 10 tries. Reed’s conversion hits the post, but she should have scored.
Try! England 51-13 Italy (Thompson 76)
England win the ball again in Italy’s half, and with the field broken, fan left then right. Bolshy play from Waterman makes some metres up the middle, and they go right. Lovely hands and a jink from Meg Jones, who is only 20, feeds Thompson and she hugs the touchline to score! Conversion missed, but England have nine tries and their half-century is up.
75 min Eventually they get it right and Italy go, err, right, having retained their ball. They are turned over on the offload and England go through a couple of phases then boot long.
74 min This scrum is taking forever to set.
73 min England scrum under pressure, and the ball McLean receives isn’t clean. Another handling error, but we are playing advantage. Now we are not, and it’s Italy’s scrum right in the middle of the field.
72 min Italy’s scrum is not as clean as others, but they win it and go left. England counter-ruck, but don’t win it, and Italy come right, making metres. Left again, and Italy knock on, still in their own half.
70 min Italy resort to trying to barge their way out of trouble, before Rigoni sends over a dinked kick. Back come England, but McLean’s kick is clumsy – she could have gone through the hands – and goes dead. Scrum to Italy 40m from their own line.
69 min Poppy Cleall on at tighthead for Justine Lucas. She’s busy straight away at this scrum, which Italy win and try to run from deep.
68 min The ball goes out on the left-hand side, and England have a lineout, just inside the Italian half. Slight delay as an Italian injury is checked up. The lineout is clean and England go right, and break up the middle, before knocking on, as they get into the Italian 22. Mason with the fumble, England’s 16th.
67 min England earn a penalty advantage after an intentional Italian knock on on the left. England go right, with Millar-Mills carrying nicely. They go left, but are turned over in centrefield.
66 min Kickoff gather by England over on the right, and they charge. They are toying with Italy through the phases now, and the awful handling of the first half is gone.
Try! England 46-13 (Waterman 64)
Heather Kerr with her first lineout. She finds Taylor, and England go left. Meg Jones carries well, before England go left, and find Waterman, who straightens, jinks, and scores! That’s her second, and England’s eighth. She’s had a magnificent game, and dots down under the posts, which Reed - taking over the kicking duties - will like. She converts with ease.
63 min Waterman gathers that kick and does well to withstand pressure. England kick long, over the Italian defence, then Furlan kicks for touch, and finds it.
62 min England pile on subs. Four new girls in white shirts head on, including Sarah Hunter and Harriet Millar-Mills. Their first job is an Italian scrum 40m out from the Italian line. Italy fan left before kicking when tight on the touchline.
61 min Scrum half Natasha Hunt goes off for La Toya Mason. Italy kick back to England, who go right, twice, until the knock on. Italy kick, and that’s their advantage gone. England filter left, then Mason sends them right again. Play broken now. A forward pass releases Thompson down the left, and back they come for the scrum.
60 min It’s given back to England at the dropout and back they come. Packer carries well, but the pass isn’t right and Noel-Smith can’t gather. Knocked on 10m out. Packer having a belting game.
59 min England turn it over and Scarratt clips it long. Furlan dots it down over her own line and that’s a 22 dropout.
58 min The kickoff is scuffed again, and Italy claim their own ball, somehow. They go through the phases on the left before coming right.
Try! England 39-13 Italy (Waterman 56)
England scrappily win that lineout, and are on the charge again. They go left through that brilliant McLean-Scarratt combo. Sharp hands everywhere. Waterman cuts inside and scores, driving over through pure strength under serious pressure! England have seven tries! From way over on the left, Scarratt misses again ... She has 2 from 6.
55 min Said penalty is dispatched from centrefield to touch 10m out.
54 min Italy try to run from deep from the kick-off. After writhing away for a minute or so, Marlie Packer wins a brilliant turnover and England win the penalty in Italy’s half!
Try! England 34-13 Italy (Giordano 52)
The forwards are trying to force Italy over and they have! The referee’s arm confidently goes up - it’s Giordano, the No8, who scores. Nudge is short and wide from Sillari. That’s a cracking try from the lineout from Italy, though.
51 min Italy’s penalty goes to touch in England’s 22. They roll the maul, and are up close to the line! England’s defence staunch.
50 min England looking dominant now. They boot long, but Furlan comes back at them with panache! She breaks into the England half and actually and, in the offload, Italy win a penalty for an early tackle!
USA lead Spain 12-0 at HT, btw.
Try! England 34-8 (Scarratt 48)
England’s forwards, led by Clark, want this. But they can’t puncture through so give it to the backs, who can. McLean holds her pass delightfully, and Scarratt meets her on a brilliant line to score her second! Simple finish, but a great run. This time, from 10m to the right of the posts, Scarratt converts. That’s better.
47 min England win that lineout and go left, then back right. Pressure on the Italian line.
46 min England just controlling proceedings in their own half, until McLean scuffs a kick. She gets away with it though. McLean gets another go, and kicks very long, into the 22. Furlan, who has had a great game, but has a mare here, with her clearing kick actually going backwards. They have a lineout in the Italy 22. Stinker.
Try! England 27-8 Italy (Taylor 44)
A big carry comes from Rocky Clark, and Packer breaks! She offloads to Cockayne, who offloads from the floor, with the ball finding its way to Tamara Taylor, who lumbers over on the left! England have their fifth try! Scarratt misses the conversion again. This is a bad one, from the left but certainly not out wide.
43 min Cokayne finds Aldcroft and England go left. Smart hands from Scarratt feed Wilson-Hardy on the touchline and they go right now, making ground all the time.
42 min The scrum is solid again and Italy fling it left. They don’t much like kicking. As I type that, they grubber into touch on halfway.
41 min England gather and go left, the short side. Before kicking long. Italy kick back, and eventually there’s a forward pass and there will be an Italian scrum 35m out from their own line on the right hand side.
McLean is on for Burford. Reed has moved to 12, with McLean at 10.
Ready to go with the second-half. Rigoni to kick us off at Billings Park, Dublin...
The gang on ITV are not happy with the call to disallow Emily Scarratt’s try for a knock-on at the grounding. It certainly looked fine live.
There’s another game going on at the moment: with five minutes until half-time, USA! USA! USA! lead Spain 12-0. USA! USA! USA! have already beaten Italy, and England have already beaten Spain. I see a pecking order emerging. England play USA! USA! USA! on Thursday at 2pm.
Well, England won’t be delighted with that half, but the job is well on the way to being done. Their handling errors are into double figures, and they conceded a try out wide (albeit a very, very good one), while Scarratt is kicked just one of her four shots at goal. Two of the misses were very tough.
They have scored four tries, and could have had a fifth through Scarratt, and are putting the Italians under plenty of pressure. That’ll do.
Half-time! England 22-8 Italy
Italy’s kick-off is scuffed and there’s a weird impasse as it hasn’t gone 10 metres. Eventually England pick it up, and go right before Natasha Hunt kicks it out. That’s the break. England, with the bonus point in the bag, lead 22-8.
Try! England 22-8 Italy (Cokayne 39)
Cokayne finds taylor at the lineout, then Scarratt carries in midfield. Having come right, they go left, through Burford and Aldcroft. Right again, with Clark bruising, and Matthews releasing Packer. She runs 20m and is under the posts. There’s an advantage as England go right but they don’t need it - Cokayne dots down with ease! That’s their fourth try, and a bonus point. Scarratt misses from the right, via the post. One more play before half-time.
38 min Italy’s scrum is clean, and they kick clear. Tidy. England lineout on the Italian 22.
37 min NO TRY! Probably fair enough, this. TMO reckons Scarratt has knocked it on while touching it down. Italy scrum on the 5m line.
37 min Italy lineout is untidy, and England win the ball. They go left, and through the hands of Burford and Scarratt to Wilson Hardy, who fires the ball back in under pressure on the touchline. Scarratt has it again and reaches to cross, but was the grounding clean? Ref is sending this upstairs...
36 min Wilson Hardy runs hard back at Italy. Going right, Waterman asks too much of Thompson and it is fired straight into touch.
35 min England go right from the scrum but eventually knock on, right over on their touchline. Advantage played, but it’s over as Italy kick it back to them.
34 min Eventually, Italy try to clear their lines, but are charged down, then knock on. England scrum 30 metres out.
33 min Italy escape to England’s half but get turned over, then England kick into Italy’s 22. Back comes Furlan. Italy recycle, but aren’t looking to slow things up. They like it loose and open.
32 min Good scrum from Italy again, and they pick up then kick long. Waterman struggles to pick it up, but then sets off on a mazy 30 metre run to halfway! Reed does a crossfield kick which is taken well, before a kick is charged down! Game opening up....
31 min Eventually England’s many phases lead to another knock-on, this one from Waterman. Packer back on for Millar-Mills after that HIA.
30 min From that scrum, England go left and Scarratt carries well. They go right and are 35 metres out. Left again through Tamara Taylor.
29 min That’s village from Italy. Giordano was ahead of the kicker at the kick-off, and is offside. Scrum in centrefield for England.
Try! England 17-8 Italy (Thompson 28)
And that maul just keeps rolling! They are up to eight metres out. Five.Amy Cockayne has carried well. But that’s the forwards done, they give it to the backs, who dance right and cross in the corner! After nice hands from Burford and Waterman, Lydia Thompson finished it off - that’s her second of the tournament, and 29th for England. Scarratt misses from wide on the right again. Tough one.
26 min England stick it in the corner. They are 21 metres out at the lineout, which finds its desired destination, and they roll the maul.
25 min Italy are again resourceful from deep, only kicking when they need to. Waterman runs it back at them, and England go left. Brilliant carry and offload from Millar-Mills out on the left, and eventually England win a penalty for hands in the ruck.
Try! England 12-8 Italy (Magatti 23)
Italy have threatened from their scrums, and they do again here, as they go right from the scrum! Furlan carries well once more, and they’re into the 22. They go all the way left, then all the way right and the winger Maria Magatti goes over in the corner! Great passing for that try. Schiavon misses the conversion, a devilishly tough one from wide out right.
22 min So, before an Italian scrum, Marlie Packer is going off for an HIA, and on comes Harriet Millar-Mills.
22 min Italy dash left and make it into England’s half but the referee stops the clock because there’s a head injury on the England side. “Common sense,” he says. Rochelle Clark and Emily Scarratt take the opportunity to get in his ear about the scrum penalties. No dice.
21 min Italy win their second penalty at the scrum ... and they run it with the field broken.
20 min Reed’s kick-off is low and to the right. There’s a fierce tussle at the ruck, which Italy win. They are looking to use their hands in their own half, and are into the sixth phase when Wilson Hardy tries to intercept but can’t gather cleanly, and knocks on, just outside the Italy 22.
Penalty! England 12-3 Italy (Schiavon 19)
No mistake from the 80-cap fly-half Veronica Schiavon. Simples.
18 min Italy go right from that clean scrum and look good. Furlan a key carrier full back. Eventually they get a penalty in front of the posts 15m out for a high tackle. They will go for the posts - it’s a very simple one.
17 min The kick off is scrappy, and both teams knock on. England first, though. Italy scrum on the left hand side on the 22.
Try! England 12-0 Italy (Matthews 15)
That lineout works very smoothly, and they maul. it rolls a few metres before the forwards hand over to the back. A brilliant, rapid run from Wilson Hardy takes them deep into the Italian half, then Rachel Burford plays a neat offload to Alex Matthews, who rumbles over under the posts. No mistake this time from Scarratt. Superb team try, that.
Updated
14 min Italy come straight back at England! That’s better. Locatelli with the big carry, until she’s bundled out on the right hand side, 27 metres out. First lineout for England coming up.
13 min Another scrum. This one to England, on their own 22, on the left hand side. Matthews picks up to get them partially away, but they are still mucking about in their own 22 a couple of phases later when Scarratt puts boot to ball.
12 min Italy have a scrum 30 metres out, then. They go right, make some ground, but then knock on.
11 min At the kick off, the ref tells the Italians off for screaming during the conversion. That kick off takes them down into English territory, and the champions, after a couple of phases, knock on again.
Try! England 5-0 (Scarratt 10)
Italy are yet to leave their half and a long kick takes them to halfway line, and Waterman runs back hard at them. The ball finds its way to Emily Scarratt, the captain, and she charges for the line from 15m out on the right hand side and makes it! She misses her own conversion from out wide and have to settle for just five points.
8 min That dropout is also charged down (awful kick) and England keep the pressure on the 22 as they go left, but they knock on. Again...
7 min So an Italian scrum this time, and a boxkick deflects off England and leads to a 22 dropout. Scrappy stuff, this.
6 min England scrum, then, and Wilson Hardy is off her wing and carrying. The forwards do some grunt work five metres out in centrefield, before Hunt sends them right, then left. They go wide, but it’s knocked on by Wilson Hardy as the pass just dies on her! They tryline was begging.
4 min Italy fail to find touch and England come straight back at them. They go right, then left through the hands. Scarratt’s silky hands send Wilson Hardy over the line on the left but she’s held up by some fine defence!
3 min Bit messy setting this scrum up... And eventually England are penalised before the ball goes in! Justine Lucas, the tighthead, gives the penalty away.
2 min England’s scrum is solid and Alex Matthews picks up at the base, and loops right. They recycle and go left, through the phases. There are carries for Burford, then Cokayne, before Marlie Packer knocks on n the tackle five metres out. Scrum for Italy, and they’ll be under pressure.
1 min Reed goes left and the Italians gather, and look to run from deep ... but knock on on their own 22. Sigh... Scrum to England, right in the middle of the field, 25 yards out.
Right, here goes. Amber Reed gets us underway....
The Italian anthem passes without a single tear shed. Weird. If rugby payers aren’t crying during the Italian national anthem, is it really the Italian national anthem at all?
As England warble their way through the national anthem, let’s talk conditions: looks warm, dry, with a bit of wind, but not too much. Cloud cover, but not thick. Just about perfect.
Updated
The players are on their way out in Dublin. They are lining up for the anthems.
“It constitutes a decent shift from her,” says David Flatman of Portia Woodman’s eight tries for New Zealand against Hong Kong. Correct.
We are about 10 minutes away from then action.
ITV are rather cruelly showing highlights of New Zealand’s 121-0 dismantling of Hong Kong today. 19 tries. Nineteen.
Coverage has begun on ITV1, and magnificent Maggie Alphonsi and David Flatman, the best rugby pundit on’t circuit, are picking holes in England’s performance against Spain. Seven missed conversions represents a major work-on, eh.
Before the coverage of the game kicks off in earnest, I feel it’s my duty – given its inextricably linked to Guardian rugby MBMs – to inform you of a rather magnificent thing that’s happening in south London today.
As many of you will know, our MBMer-in-chief, Dan Lucas, died tragically and suddenly in March this year, aged 31. He was a wonderful, unique fella and is much missed in this office and far beyond.
Anyway, his brilliant girlfriend Liz has organised a charity cricket match at Alleyn’s Cricket Club in Dulwich. It’s Guerilla Cricket against an all-sorts XI (pictured below), which includes Guardian Sport’s own John Ashdown and Rich Flower, as well as Dan’s dad, Gary. That’s the team you should be supporting!
My soon to be winning team! pic.twitter.com/8GlUUB0brE
— Elizabeth Aubrey (@aubrey_writes) August 13, 2017
Dan had diabetes, and they will be raising money for Juvenile Diabetes Research (JDRF). Please dig deep for a wonderful cause. You can donate here.
Ouchy. New Zealand have been playing against Hong Kong. I say playing against, but what I really mean is playing with.
It’s just finished, and the Kiwis won 121-0. If my calculations are correct, they scored 19 [nineteen] tries, and the wing Portia Woodman scored eight on her blooming own. That is one proper mauling. The magnificently named scrum-half Kendra Cocksledge nudged over 13 conversions.
Preamble
Hello and welcome! This here is the Guardian’s minute-by-minute coverage of England’s second fixture of this year’s Women’s World Cup, against Italy. I’m Will Macpherson and I’m here to guide you through all the action. Every last drop of it.
England went very nicely in their opener, crossing the whitewash 10 times against Spain. But England have a deep squad, and they seem determined to show it off, and have duly made 10 changes. Emily Scarratt is back as skipper, and Amy Wilson Hardy, the zippy winger, is in too, which I’m excited about. Kay Wilson scored four of those 10 tries against Spain, but there’s no place for her today. The only player in the 28-strong squad not to feature in either game is the hooker Vicky Fleetwood, who arrived late to the party because of injury. Simon Middleton’s mob seem confident and in good nick. Encouraging.
When these two sides met in the Six Nations back in February, Fleetwood bagged herself a hat-trick, and Katy McLean (who is on the bench today), was sent off. You sense England will hope life is a touch comfier today. The Italians lost their opening game, to the USA.
This game is on ITV1 if you’re in the UK! In the meantime, to keep you busy, here’s Gerard Meagher’s latest dispatch on England’s team, and here’s a rather nice piece he wrote after the opening game to get you in the swing of things.
Please contact me! I am contactable. There are two main ways you can do this. Here they are:
- Get yourself in my inbox! The rather cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com is the address you need for that.
- @ me on the twitters! My handle is @willis_macp
I greatly look forward to hearing from you. More as I get it ...
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