England’s vice-captain Marlie Packer was “absolutely gutted” after being sent off in the crushing Women’s Rugby World Cup warmup victory over Spain, in which Helena Rowland scored a hat-trick.
The veteran back-rower started as captain at Welford Road, with the full-time captain Zoe Aldcroft on the bench, and scored the second of England’s 15 tries early on. But she was sent off for a flying second-half clearout on Spain’s full-back Clàudia Peña on 61 minutes.
The 35-year-old now faces what could be a lengthy ban, potentially disrupting England’s preparations for their home tournament, although the head coach, John Mitchell, played down the prospect of altering his squad.
“Obviously absolutely gutted for the team,” Packer said. “For me, all my focus is on the team. There’s a process to be had now and that’s all I’ll be looking to for the next couple of days.
“How they performed for the next 20 minutes, and the performance they put on … I just said after the game [to the team] I was incredibly proud and very sorry for the incident.”
Mitchell said: “We’ll have to suffer the consequences, that’s the reality. We understand the process and I certainly won’t break our circle. We’ll just have to deal with it and get on with it.
“It’s unfortunate for Marlie because you can see the intent wasn’t there. The game sets high standards in that area and ultimately at the end of the day we’re trying to protect players. We’ll just take whatever we get on the chin.”
Asked if he will change the squad if Packer receives a long ban, Mitchell said: “I think we might get a couple of weeks. So that’s easy to deal with.”
A mid-range suspension for the flanker’s offence might be as long as six weeks, although England may also expect that to be halved based on her previous good disciplinary record.
Packer’s dismisal marred a positive performance. The Red Roses were fluent and efficient as they steamrollered their opponents in the first warmup match before the World Cup.
They also displayed composure and good decision-making in their biggest ever win against these opponents, qualities that will be paramount for this vastly talented squad when the tournament begins.
Peña got Spain on the scoreboard with a sniping second-half finish but aside from that it was a exercise in dogged defending for the visitors, and an afternoon for England to fine-tune attacking combinations.
Rowland, starting on the wing for England for the first time, wrapped up her hat-trick four minutes after half time while the prop, Sarah Bern, crossed twice in a dominant individual display that personifed the hosts’ superiority.
After nine weeks in training camp, including warm-weather practice in Treviso, it was possibly the worst time for Spain to face Mitchell’s supremely powerful side, who looked better conditioned than ever. England will be tested more significantly next weekend, when they travel to face France, the final warmup before meeting the USA at the Stadium of Light on 22 August.
At the conclusion of the pre-match warmup, England’s squad disappeared down the tunnel to a cacophony of support: it was not fans but a group of fellow players doing the cheering. Whatever obstacles may appear in the next two months, team spirit will not be a problem.
England tried to move the ball wide early but straight down the middle soon proved more effective. Lucy Packer and Lilli Ives Campion both got hands on the ball before Maddie Feaunati applied a finish for the first try after five minutes, the floodgates officially opening. England’s fourth, scored by a flying Jess Breach on the wing after a sweeping move, was the pick of seven tries before the break.
Spain did rumble a maul over England’s try-line, but were held up by some smart defensive work. Mitchell began to empty his bench after the break, freshening up the front row on 49 minutes, the impressive Hannah Botterman crossing the try-line on 66min.
Marlie Packer’s red card came for an inexplicably reckless lunge on Pẽna, but eight well-worked second-half tries were some consolation, Megan Jones rounding off the scoring. The vice-captain is left to await her disciplinary fate.
