England have scored 21 tries in an autumn series that will give them grounds for optimism when they challenge France for their Six Nations title in the spring. Simon Middleton’s Red Roses crossed the Irish line seven times at Twickenham, with the wing Lydia Thompson scoring a superb second-half hat-trick.
England are playing an expansive game and once again their pack provided a revamped backline plenty of opportunities to carve up their opponents. But after a bright start they had to dig deep for victory after an embattled Ireland forced their way back with two tries just before the interval.
Ireland had reshuffled their pack after a defeat by USA with Juliet Short, a former England Under-20s player, making a debut at No 8. But their young side lost two key players through injury in the first half and the England forwards ground down their opponents.
Middleton had rather surprisingly left Katy Daley-Mclean, who had won her 100th cap against the Americans a fortnight earlier, on the bench again. Daley-Mclean is 33 next month but is arguably still the best fly-half in the women’s game. Zoe Harrison was given another chance to start at No 10 and she soon showed her skills with some clever tactical kicking that pinned Ireland into their own 22 before the England pack rumbled forwards and the hooker Heather Kerr was driven over from a lineout for the first try.
The wing Kelly Smith took her chance to score her fourth try of the autumn after a midfield break by Tatyana Heard. Ireland were in trouble and things soon got worse when their fly-half Nikki Caughey was taken off with an injured right knee. Emma Hooban, the Irish hooker, soon followed Caughey off, painfully holding her right arm.
Thompson looked to have scored a third try but was denied by a tremendous tackle by Ireland’s captain, Sene Naoupu. Hannah Botterman, the young Saracens tighthead, looked to have been driven over but could not ground the ball. Her fellow prop Vickii Cornborough soon made amends with England’s third try after another powerful drive by the pack.
Eimear Considine, the speedy Ireland right-wing, at last broke clear of a stifling England defence just before the interval with a well-taken try as Ireland gained a foothold. A brilliant individual try by Ireland’s full-back Lauren Delany with the last move of the first half then left England shaking their heads.
After the break the England replacement flanker Marlie Packer made an instant impact at the breakdown. Thompson at last got her try after a clever kick through by Harrison. Daley-Mclean came on to help give England more shape and Thompson glided through for a second try.
England continued to miss conversions but they were in the clear before Claire Molloy responded with a third try for Ireland. England then spread the ball wide and Thompson completed her hat-trick. The replacement Cath O’Donnell scored the seventh try with the last move of the match and Daley-Mclean finally landed the only conversion of the match.
A number of England players took advantage of the occasion to make their mark in the last game before professional contracts are handed out in January, none more so than Thompson.
It was a pity more spectators did not take up Twickenham’s offer to watch the game for free. France are the only team to have beaten England’s women this year and they are pretty good value at the moment.
Katy Daley-Mclean: ‘It’s cool to have 100 caps – women’s rugby has changed so much’