WXV1 – USA v England
BC Place, Vancouver
Hors d’Oeuvre (for your main course, please scroll down the menu)
USA rugby is in a mess. It faces two RWCs (men’s and women’s) in the early 2030s and suffers from underfunding and lack of focus. The one bright spot is the success of the women’s 7s team, bronze medallists at the Paris Olympics.
Now Sione Fukofuka made striking changes to his Eagles squad; most noteworthy, the re- introduction of star talent in the back line. The names Cheta Emba, Kris Thomas and Alev Kelter meant the English backs could expect to face power and pace.
The return from injury of Kate Zackary, Hope Rogers and Rachel Johnson gave a huge boost too.
Eleven of the starting XV operate in the English PWR. By the same token, the absence of experience (Cantorna, Clapp, etc.) might prove a handicap.
Main course
John Mitchell was brave enough to make several changes to his starting line-up, and they all worked. There were early hitches, as might be expected, but by the end the Red Roses were running rampant.
Inside the first minutes both the debutants, Bo Westcombe-Evans and Phoebe Murray, had shown their paces. BWE was to have the delight of scoring a try.
Kelter was prominent for the Eagles till she dropped a catchable pass. Handling was to let her side down all through. Then she made the error of kicking deep, without runners in place to chase. The result was a long diagonal from Zoe Harrison that was almost a 50-22. Instead, Eagle hands dropped the ball, to put England on the front foot.
At this stage their own handling was hardly better; Emily Scarratt dropped a pass, but was saved by the TMO’s call for a croc-roll. That was three penalties each inside 12 minutes.
The first decisive move came, inevitably, from an England attacking line-out. Sarah Bern looped around the front, fed Lark Atkin-Davies who fell across the line. Harrison completed the first of her eight conversions with a magnificent effort from wide right. 0-7
Now we saw the New England in action. They spread the ball accurately in deepish defence. Ellie Kildunne took it on the right wing and began a bewitching run to the line, complete with a zig-zag past McKenzie Hawkins, the last defender. 0-14 This may yet prove to be the solo try of the tournament.
Emba, who had a good combative return to 15s, was caught upright in a maul and Abbie Ward ripped the ball away. There were a few more moments when the three Sevens stars were caught out by the vast number of players this format permits.
We had plenty of kick-tennis, the difference now being that referees at once remind the attacking side of the perils of off-side. This was to cause several penalties through the day. Thou shalt not advance!
Inside the first half-hour England were guilty of seven penalties, a croc-roll by Morwenna Talling the latest.
Now Kelter’s skills were shown at their best. She spotted a blanket defence ahead of her, but nothing behind it. A chip, chase and catch, and it needed only a shimmy or two for a brilliant solo score. 7-14
Kildunne tried an imitation – it didn’t work. England were far from perfect, another turnover was conceded, but Kelter dropped a pass on her own line, and Georgia Brock pounced to score one of her easier tries. 7-21
As the break approached, another Eagles’ raid foundered close in. After the hooter sounded today’s captain, Alex Matthews, found herself at outside centre. She shaped to draw the last defender, changed her mind and went over – a nice 70th cap present. That was the bonus point secured.
Half-time 7-28 (Harrison 4/4 conversions)
As play resumed, BWE was nearly away on the right, but Kildunne’s pass was forward. Now England offended at a scrum; Taina Tukuafu tapped to threaten the line. After many phases Kelter scored her second. 14-28
The Eagles’ line-out was functioning well; that was a major advance for them. One such allowed Nana Fa’avesi to knock Kildunne back as she ran over her. The crowd felt the ground shudder.
English foundations weren’t totally secure; the Eagles now counter-rucked successfully a second time. And till now the English wide backs had been largely starved of space, attacks starting from midfield.
At last BWE was allowed to show her strength to cross for a try. Harrison’s kick hit the near post and stayed out. 14-33
It was a sign of the Eagles’ hard preparations that they scored their third try. An attacking line-out saw Hallie Taufoou feed Kate Zackary who found her way over all too easily. 21-33
The tide turns
But the relentless pace had its effect on American accuracy. A new-look English scrum advanced eight metres. BWE was on the end of another forward pass (perhaps it was her positioning that was at fault), but the Red Roses had an advantage in hand. Helena Rowland, just on, tapped and sent the ball wide. BWE lay injured, but big combinations ended with Maddie Feaunati thrusting her way over. 21-38
We gained an unexpected angle on English versatility: with BWE retiring with cramp (nothing worse, I hope), Ella Wyrwas found herself on the right wing.
Now it was all England. A passing move brought a perfect pass from Rowland to Breach. She exploded into space and dotted down all on her own; her 43rd effort. (21-47)
In the last three minutes the Red Roses added two more. Utterly outstanding handling led to Kildunne’s second score. 21-54. Then, amidst much celebration, Wyrwas cottoned on to a hopeful pass by Paige Stathopoulos to glide over unhindered.
Result: USA 21 England 61
Player of the Match: Alex Matthews
Teams
USA
15 Bulou Mataitoga 14 Cheta Emba 13 Emily Henrich 12 Alev Kelter 11 Kris Thomas 10 McKenzie Hawkins 9 Taina Tukuafu 1 Hope Rogers 2 Kathryn Treder 3 Charli Jacoby 4 Erica Jarrell 5 Hallie Taufoou 6 Tahlia Brody 7 Kate Zackary (captain) 8 Rachel Johnson
16 Paige Stathopoulos 17 Catie Benson 18 Keia Mae Sagapolu 19 Emerson Allen 20 Rachel Ehrecke 21 Sophie Pyrz 22 Nana Fa’avesi 23 Tess Feury
England
15 Ellie Kildunne 14 *Bo Westcombe-Evans 13 Emily Scarratt 12 *Phoebe Murray 11 Jess Breach 10 Zoe Harrison 9 Lucy Packer 1 Mackenzie Carson 2 Lark Atkin-Davies 3 Sarah Bern 4 Rosie Galligan 5 Abbie Ward 6 Morwenna Talling 7 Georgia Brock 8 Alex Matthews (captain)
16 Amy Cokayne 17 Kelsey Clifford 18 Maud Muir 19 Zoe Aldcroft 20 Maddie Feaunati 21 Ella Wyrwas 22 Holly Aitchison 23 Helena Rowland
*debut
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
Afterthoughts
Before the game John Mitchell said his team didn’t deserve to play in front of ‘non-crowds’. (I hope that means small crowds). Quite right, but he might have mentioned the lack of crowds in his native country for the 2022 World Cup, which Marlie Packer, among many others, commented on unfavourably.
Where were they all? Sally Horrox and her team still have a massive problem to solve, getting bums on seats. Even when the home team was on parade, BC Place looked more like an empty shell.
The Vancouver city council did do its belated best, the mayor, Ken Sim, posting a message on social media encouraging his fellow citizens to turn out in numbers. They didn’t.
And a crowd said to be 291 strong at the DHL Cape Town means somebody isn’t taking responsibility for proper publicity – or the offer isn’t enticing enough.
The quality of play certainly deserves better gates.
