England Women U20s got their Tri Nations Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 10-try 62-0 victory over USA.
Report: RFU. Photo: Neil Kennedy
England led 22-0 at half-time, scoring four tries through Phoebe Murray, Lucie Skuse, Carys Cox and Cara Clarke, as well as one conversion. They followed that up with six further tries in the second period with Akina Gondwe, Clarke, Detysha Harper, Cox, Ebony Jefferies and Jess Cooksey all crossing.
Murray was first to cross before Skuse showed a burst of pace down the right wing to score. Cox went over in the corner after good team play and Clark completed the first-half scoring with a brilliant individual effort.
Gondwe was first to cross after the second period, powering over the line with Clarke finishing off a fine run soon after. Harper was next on the scoresheet while Cox was the beneficiary of a nice offload by Ebony Jefferies to score her second. Jefferies scored the penultimate try before Cooksey scored a fine individual effort to complete the victory.
England U20s coach Jo Yapp said: "We are really pleased with the girls’ efforts overall because we wanted to play a wider game and they really tried hard to do that.
"We made a few mistakes in the first half but in the second period we started to correct those and we played simple but effective rugby which was exactly what we wanted. They worked so hard this week so to see some of it come off is really satisfying. The key thing now is rest and recovery. We'll review the game and that is an opportunity for us to improve. Although we are pleased with the result, we know we can do better and will have to against Canada who will be really tough opposition."
England U20: 15. Carys Cox (Worcester Warriors Women/ Cardiff Metropolitan University); 14. Cara Clarke (Worcester Warriors Women/ University of Bath); 13. Phoebe Murray (Bristol Bears Women/ Bristol University (Vice-captain)); 12. Megan Varley (Worcester Warriors Women/ Coventry University); 11. Ellen Ramsbottom (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough College); 10. Lucie Skuse (Bristol Bears Women); 9. Jodie Mallard (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough College); 1. Akina Gondwe (Worcester Warriors Women/ University of Worcester); 2. Bryony Field (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough College); 3. Detysha Harper (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/ Manchester Metropolitan University); 4. Iona Antwis (Gloucester-Hartpury Women/ Hartpury College); 5. Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears Women/ Exeter University); 6. Tabitha Copson (Gloucester-Hartpury Women/ Hartpury College); 7. Amelia Harper (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough College (Captain)); 8. Ebony Jefferies (Bristol Bears Women/ University of Exeter); Finishers)
16. Connie Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury Women/ Hartpury College); 17. Lauren Leatherland (Worcester Warriors Women/ University of Worcester); 18. Florence Long (Bristol Bears Women/ SGS College Filton); 19. Eleanor Febrey (Gloucester-Hartpury Women/ Hartpury College); 20. Anya Richmond (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough College); 21. Flo Robinson (Pulborough RFC); 22. Emma Hardy (Loughborough Lightning/ Loughborough University); 23. Jess Cooksey, Gloucester-Hartpury Women/ Hartpury College)
United States U20: 1. Tiara A'au (Central Washington University); 2. Saher Hamdan (Notre Dame College); 3. Tori Jones (University of Notre Dame); 4. Erica Jarrell (Harvard University); 5. Paige Fallon (Life University); 6. Sophia Haley (Dartmouth College); 7. Elizabeth Wilson (Northern Virginia Rugby (NOVA)); 8. Gio Ferguson Lewis (Army West Point ); 9. Cassidy Bargell (Harvard University ); 10. Darina Roe (Penn State ); 11. Megan Bird (Davenport University ); 12. Morgan Freeman (Lindenwood University ); 13. Nohea Uluave (Lindenwood University); 14. Ubaida Ahmed (Mount St. Mary's University); 15. Allison Koenig (Quinnipiac University)
16. Kapoina Bailey (Kona High School); 17. Natalie Gray (Lindenwood University); 18. Clara Lemal-Brown (Quinnipiac University); 19. Matalasi Morrissette (Brigham Young University); 20. Mary Jane Pasioles (Central Washington University); 21. Marin Pennell (Dartmouth College); 22. Karissa Postula (Oregon Rugby Sports Union); 23. Joannah Skucek (Lindenwood University);