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Red Roses take home bonus point despite disappointing second half against Italy
By Lucy Lomax
At a sold out LNER Community Stadium in York, England opened their Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign with a 38-5 win against Italy in their 30th consecutive win in the competition.
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The first half saw the bonus point scored within 29 minutes for the Red Roses, but the second half was a much sterner test for England, with only one try added to the lopsided scoreline coming two minutes from time.
Within three minutes of kick-off, Mia Venner, winning her second cap, opened the scoring after England began playing high tempo rugby and the crisp distribution of centre Holly Aitchison freed up Venner on the left wing who dotted down. Emma Sing, who has kicked reliably for PWR champions Gloucester-Hartpury all season, slotted the extras.
And it was only three minutes later that Emily Scarratt scored her 55th international try with England playing at a pace the Italians could not deal with.
It then took a comparatively longer time for England to cross again on 21 minutes with a try initially awarded to Rosie Galligan, but the referee later deemed Italy hooker Laura Gurioli came in from the side to cause Galligan to knock on the ball and a penalty try and yellow card was given, with the score already at a daunting 21-0.
The England train kept on chugging with plenty of momentum, Maud Muir, player of the match at last weekend’s PWR Final was at her steam rolling best, and seven minutes later wing Claudia MacDonald caught an up and under from Aitchison to glide in untouched, with the bonus point secured.
Italy’s first entry in to England’s 22 came after 30 minutes, with the Azurri finally getting on the board through the driving maul which saw number eight Francesca Sgorbini dive over for the try.
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However, England were not done with their first half scores after hooker Amy Cokayne pounced on the loose ball from a blunder at Italy’s lineout to dive over, with the conversion once again added by Sing.
England will have been content heading into the sheds with the score at 33-5 at half-time.
However, a much improved second half performance from Italy pushed England hard with the home side unable to execute their game plan to the same devastating effect or attain the same momentum of the first half.
Italy enjoyed more possession and had a try chalked off in the first five minutes of the restart for obstruction in the line-out.
It then took 38 minutes for England to add to the scoreboard in the second half, with a much needed lift given to the crowd. Following wave after wave of England attack, Sing walked in in the corner but was unable to convert her own score.
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The match finished with all five points gathered for England and a convincing win on the score board, despite a stalled and slightly disappointing second half performance from the Red Roses.
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Red Roses played like a side that had been together a week trying new combinations and faces. They will get better throughout the tournament no doubt.
It will be interesting to see in the future whether any tries scored soon after a scrum are chalked off by the TMO for a crooked scrum feed. Takeaways for me, other than an extremely mediocre 2nd half, were that Sing has only one advantage over EK and that is her place kicking. When she did get a run down the wing it was at Maher's funereal pace. Millie David is a better finisher than Venner and should be in the squad instead. Shekell looked a very likely understudy if not equivalent to Heard. Marlie Packer not a starter anymore.