England win Women"s Rugby World Cup final as Emily Scarratt inspires team to ...

The scenes at the end were joyous and uplifting as the whole squad rushed onto

the pitch to acclaim a famous victory at the conclusion of a wonderful

tournament that has sent women’s rugby surging forward in quality, appeal

and coverage.

After four long years the excruciating pain of narrow defeat in London against

New Zealand had been erased. That had been the stated aim, and it was duly

brought to bear.

England had led 11-3 at half-time, with Canada’s only points coming from a

Harvey penalty on the stroke of the interval after their first period of

concerted pressure, with Paquin and Marchak prominent in the build-up.

But otherwise it had been all England. Their one try, to add to two Scarratt

penalties, had come from full-back Waterman. They had been so near to

scoring previously, firstly when wing Kat Merchant was only denied by a

stupendous Paquin cover tackle and then when scrum-half Hunt was deemed,

after lengthy television consultation, to have been held up after a

quickly-taken tapped penalty.

But this time, after good movement down the left, including a delightful

inside pass from Kay Wilson to Mclean, the space opened up going right and

lock Tamara Taylor dummied exquisitely before putting Alphonsi clear.

It was a simple two-on-one scenario and Alphonsi, classy footballer that she

is, made no mistake in freeing Waterman on the outside.

But it was Canada who began the second-half much the stronger, harrying

England into mistakes and allowing Harvey to kick a second penalty after a

scrummage infringement.

All of a sudden England were in serious trouble. Waterman departed temporarily

with a blood injury, and then the scrummage was destroyed completely as

Canada took a quick tapped penalty from it to take them deep into England’s

half.

They could easily have kicked for goal, as from similar distance on the other

side of the field Harvey opted to do so on 56 minutes. The kick just crept

over. It was 11-9.

And it was getting edgy for England, as replacements were called in a tiring

forward pack. Thankfully then Scarratt kicked a third penalty to

re-establish England’s lead at 14-9.

Not that it eased any nerves. Still England could not find decent territorial

position and even experienced players like Mclean and Alphonsi were making a

mess of a play inside their own half, with the flanker knocking on.

Next Scarratt’s pass to Waterman was far too high, and another knock-on

resulted. Basic skills were collapsing under the pressure. It was almost

painful to watch.

It did not last. Finally England won a penalty and Mclean kicked into Canada’s

22. The line-out was driven so that England were on the front foot when

Mclean now received the ball. She fed Scarratt who took the ball at pace and

at a clever angle, brushing off two defenders for the line to open up before

her. She scorched over.

It was a superb score from England’s player of the tournament. Scarratt

converted her own try, and it was 21-9. That was it. There was no way back

for Canada from there. The night and the tournament were England’s.

Match details:

England: D Waterman (C Allan 46-51); K Merchant (Allan 69), E Scarratt,

R Burford (C Large 77), K Wilson; K Mclean (capt), N Hunt (L Toya Mason 77);

R Clark, V Fleetwood (E Croker 58), S Hemming (L Keates 53), T Taylor, J

McGilchrist (R Essex 53), M Packer (A Matthews 64), M Alphonsi, S Hunter.
Tries: Waterman, Scarratt
Con: Scarratt
Pens: Scarratt 3

Canada: J Zussman (J Sugawara 75); M Harvey, M Marchak, A Burk, J

Dovanne (B Waters 59); E Belchos, E Alarie; M-P Pinault-Reid (M J Kirby 72),

K Donaldson (L Russell 45), H Leith (O DelMerchant 69), L Blackwood, M

Samson (K Mack 40), J Murphy, K Paquin, K Russell (capt).
Pens: Harvey 3

Referee: A Perrett (Australia)

England win Women"s Rugby World Cup final as Emily Scarratt inspires team to ...