Ella Wyrwas scored two tries as England Women U20s beat Army Women 38-15 at the Aldershot Army Rugby Stadium.
England scored tries through Zoe Aldcroft, Zoe Harrison, Catriona McNaney, Leah Bartlett and a late Wyrwas double with Harrison knocking over four out of six conversions for a total of 13 points.
The Army scored two tries of their own with wing Jess McAuley-Roberts and England international Bianca Dawson both crossing the whitewash.
The home side in fact took the lead in the ninth minute when McAuley-Roberts used her pace to dive over out wide but England responded soon after when Aldcroft crashed over.
They extended their lead on the stroke of half time when Harrison spotted a gap in the opposition defence and she reached out to dot down.
After the break England came out firing and scored tries in the first ten minutes of the half through McNaney and Bartlett with Harrison adding the extras on both occasions.
Three minutes before the hour mark Harrison then broke through and fed Wyrwas who raced away to cross underneath the posts but Dawson then scored for the Army eight minutes later.
Wyrwas scored her second when she was on the end of a Harrison grubber seven minutes from time but the Army did register the final points of the match when Ellie Gattlin crashed over in the last play.
England Women U20 head coach Jo Yapp was delighted with her side’s performance ahead of the first of two matches against France Women U20s at Esher RFC next Saturday.
“We’re pleased the way the players stepped up, the Army are such a physical test for us,” she said.
“It’s fantastic preparation for us heading into the France match, the players were patient and stuck to the patterns that were put in place.
“It’s the first time this particular team have played together so once they began to gel the timing started to come and the opportunities opened up for us.
“When we got it right we looked really good.”
England Women U20: Tries – Aldcroft, Harrison, McNaney, Bartlett, Wyrwas 2. Cons – Harrison 4.
Army Women: Tries – McAuley-Roberts, Dawson, Gattlin.
England Women U20
15. Catriona McNaney (Bristol, University of Exeter)
14. Sophie Tandy (Aylesford Bulls)
13. Ella Wyrwas (Welwyn, Hartpury College)
12. Lagilagi Tuima (Plymouth Albion)
11. Emma Uren (Saracens, St Mary’s University Twickenham)
10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens, Middlesex University)
9. Tazmin Bricknell (Bristol, University of the West of England)
1. Ellena Perry (Saracens, Coventry University)
2. Leah Bartlett (Loughborough, Loughborough College)
3. Ellie Mulhearn (Bristol, Filton College)
4. Molly Morrissey (Lichfield, University of the West of England)
5. Anna Wolf (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University)
6. Sally Stott (Vale of Lune, Edinburgh University)
7. Poppy Leitch (Bristol, University of Exeter)
8. Zoe Aldcroft (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University)
Replacements: 16. Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 17. Jeanine Stephenson (Bristol, University of Exeter), 18. Michaella Roberts (Plymouth Albion), 19. Rosanna Moynihan (Welwyn, Hartpury College), 20. Charlie Wilcock (Waterloo), 21. Brooke Bradley (Bristol), 22. Lucy Attwood (Bristol, University of Bristol), 23. Linzi Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Northumbria University).
Army Women
Gemma Rowland, Jade Mullen, Carrie Roberts, Louise Dodd, Jess McAuley-Roberts, Kate Hancock, Gemma Stonebridge-Smith; Sarah Batley, Raegan Metters, Bianca Dawson, Ellie Gattlin, Chelsey Snead, Erica Mills, Tara McGlade, Alex Hardy.
Replacements: Natalie Lewis, Carrie Smith, Paula Robinson, Heidi Silcox, Jolandi Joubert, Emily White, Beverley Gilbert, Kayleigh Clemes
England Women U20 fixture list:
- England v France: Saturday 25 February, KO 3pm, Esher RFC (free entry)
- France v England: Friday 17 March, KO 7pm, Stade Guy Boniface, Mont-de-Marsa
Report courtesy of England Rugby
