Wales 6-32 England
England may have won at Cross Keys, but Wales showed massive improvement from last year’s encounter between the sides.
Back then, they failed to register a point, losing 60-0. This time around, the scoreline was a lot closer, which is a credit to both the good work being done at Cardiff Demons, who supplied most of the players, and the hard graft everyone has put in at Wales training camps.
England started like they meant business and Tara Stanley looked to score their first try, but was stopped in her tracks by Amberley Ruck, forcing her to drop the ball.
The same England player wasted another early opportunity. Her offload was too low and Wales collected again.
But eventually they did cross for their first try when Fran Goldthorp went over wide out. Stanley missed the conversion attempt.
Wales looked to hit back, and had a good set of six, with Ruck making the initial break, but Molly Reardon was held up over the line on the final tackle.
England’s second try came on 15 minutes. Amy Hardcastle offloaded to Goldthorp, who dived over. Stanley’s kick went in off a post and the visitors were 10-0 up.
Soon after that, they crossed for their third. Hardcastle stormed through for the score which went unconverted.
After some good Wales pressure, England broke away again and could have claimed a long-range try, but Leanne Burnell was outstanding with her pace to stop Caroline Collie in her tracks.
However they did get a fourth before half-time. England were awarded a penalty 20 metres from goal and didn’t waste it. After a good passing move, Shona Hoyle dived just right of the posts, Stanley easily adding the extras to give England a 20-0 lead at the break.
They increased their advantage three minutes into the second half when Tara Jones slipped through the Wales backline. Stanley converted again.
To their credit, Wales didn’t ever give up. They went close to scoring and were stopped centimetres from the line on the final tackle of a productive set. England rushed upfield and were themselves denied due to a forward pass.
The home side finally penetrated the tough England defence, and it was well deserved. Following a penalty, Burnell stormed over and Ruck converted.
The last 13 minutes of the game were played under a different referee. Irishman Eamonn Whelan went down with an ankle injury and local official Kristoff Young replaced him.
But this didn’t affect the pace of the enthralling game played in front of 621.
Wales were close to a second try with six minutes to go, with Ruck’s grubber going too far for anyone to latch onto.
England started the resulting set quickly and would have scored against last year’s Wales side. Not this time around though, as the home team were equal to them and prevented a sixth try.
However England did eventually have the last say through a Hollie Dodd try which Stanley converted.
Wales head coach Tom Brindle was pleased at his side’s efforts.
He said: “In our last game against England, we learned a lot. For a large part of this game, we physically matched them. It’ll be very interesting to see where we’re at in another couple of years.
“It’s important now that we build on today and put in a good performance against Italy, and if a win comes on the back of it, that’s great.”
England head coach Craig Richards was grateful for the tough test Wales gave them ahead of next week’s match against France.
He said: “I was pretty happy with the performance. It was a strong display from us, especially in defence, as we didn’t have the ball as much as we did in last year’s game.
“I was pleased with the effort, we were tested a lot more than last year and I was pleased with that. We’ve areas to work on and that’s what we’ll do.”
By Ian Golden
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Italy 6-30 Ireland
Ireland built on an excellent first half performance, which forged a 24-0 lead at the break, to win the historic opening game in Women’s Euro B North
Honours were shared in the scorching sun in the second period, the hosts improving greatly before over 500 spectators.
In a game split into four quarters because of the 36 degree heat, and preceded by a minute’s silence in honour of former Italian Rugby League vice president Tiziano Franchini, Dublin City Exiles loose forward Alison Coleman opened with an early hat-trick, crashing over for her first, breaking up the centre for the second, and powering across for a third in an unstoppable spell.
Bedford Tigers’ Storm Cobain and Ray Lawless also crossed late in the opening period and, after Roisin Crowe had gone close on the hour, substitute Charlie Willett scored Ireland’s only second half try.
The final word went to spirited Italy, Alessandra Menotti forcing her way over in the last minute and Rebecca Pantaleoni adding the extras, and head coach Alberton Suin said: “It was not an easy match, it hurts to lose as I know what we have within us, but it is an encouraging start. The girls have given everything but there is no time to feel sorry for themselves, this is a strong group and now we look forward to playing Wales.”
Ireland’s head coach John Whalley said: “It was a really good performance from the girls. The first half was one way traffic and everything came off but the heat played a big factor in the second. Full credit to Italy, they never gave up and had a real fighting spirit to the end. We’ll pick up on our performance and be ready for Wales in October, a game we’re really looking forward to.”
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Wales embark on their Women’s Euro B Championship North campaign on Sunday (19 June) with a home fixture with Italy.
The game will be played at Pandy Park, Cross Keys – where the Welsh hosted England yesterday in a stand-alone Test match – with a 1.00pm kick-off.
Italy launched their own campaign on Saturday, losing to visitors Ireland at Pasian Di Pato Stadium, Udine.
Wales, who are captained by 18-year-old Bryonie King – the youngest ‘running game’ international skipper in Welsh Rugby League history – announced their 26-player squad prior to the England game.
Head coach Tom Brindle’s line-up is Anne-Marie Sayle (Bradford Bulls), Katie Carr, Rosie Carr, Ffion Jenkins, Ffion Jones, Sara Jones, Eleri Michael (all Bridgend Blue Bulls/Cardiff Demons), Bethan Dainton, Jess McAuley (British Army), Lauren Aitken, Leanne Burnell, Seren Gough-Walters, Charlie Mundy, Rhi Parker, Brittony Price, Amberley Ruck, Rafiuke Taylor (all Cardiff Blue Dragons/Cardiff Demons), Emily Hughes, Kathryn Salter (both London Broncos), Bryonie King, Joeann McGuire, Molly Reardon (all Rhondda Outlaws/Cardiff Demons), Fern Davies, Rebecca Davies, Keira McCosh (Warrington Wolves), Carys Marsh (Wigan Warriors).
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With Group One in the Super League taking a break due to international action, all eyes were on Group Two, where a first half hat-trick from Chloe Billington sent FEATHERSTONE ROVERS towards a 54-10 win over WAKEFIELD TRINITY.
There were also two tries each for Jessie Matthews and Zoe Teece, while Brogan Kennedy, Sam Jordan, Nat Carr and Hannah Watt also crossed. Matthews added four conversions, with Jess Lee kicking one.
Abbie Millward crossed for Trinity in the first half with Lisa Taylor adding to their total after the break with a try and conversion.
The win put Rovers back level with Warrington Wolves at the top of the league, having played one more game.
BRADFORD BULLS made it three wins in a row with a 52-0 win over CASTLEFORD TIGERS and are now in a three-way tie at the top with Warrington and Featherstone.
The Bulls crossed for ten tries again a Tigers outfit still looking for their first win since voluntarily dropping down from Group One.
Cara Cookland opened the scoring early in the first half and from there it was one-way traffic. Ebony Haley and Amy Boardman both crossed twice in the rout, with single scores coming from Hannah Donald, Ellena Powell, Millie Bell, Bailey Alexander, and Beth McMillan. Donald added one conversion, with Emily Heaps kicking five.
To complete the round, BARROW RAIDERS backed up their win over LEIGH MINERS RANGERS last week with a much closer 14-8 away victory over the same opposition.
Sam Norman crossed twice for Barrow, while Natalie Saunders added a third, with Jodie Litherland kicking one conversion.
Rangers scored once in either half, with Kate McMullen and Robyn Bell-Soppelsa touching down.
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