Here’s the match report for you
Simon Middleton is talking to ITV
“Hats off to France, we had them under so much pressure but they are so tough. We had a bit missing, especially our finishing and it turned into an absolute arm-wrestle because of that. I was happy we managed the game really well in the last five or ten minutes. We’ll be having a few days off now, everyone has worked so hard. We’ll be looking at the squad for next week to give an many people as possible some game time.”
France made 214 tackles to England’s 74. Interesting detail to that is that les Bleus, despite making so many more tackles, had a higher success percentage than the Red Roses. It really was remarkable effort, especially to subsequently have enough energy to put England on the ropes a bit late on. If only they could hold the ball better.
Having said all that. England should have won this more comfortably.
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Sarah Hunter is reflecting on the match.
“We know these games are fine margins and tonight was no different. It was attritional out there. Hopefully it’s a great showcase for women’s rugby and what a real good contest these games are. [The 137th cap] is very special, but tonight was about the team and the performance.”
Win 27 for England, but France didn’t half make them work for it.
England will take this as another step in readying themselves for the ultimate target of peak performance deeper into the tournament. France will rue what could have been if they’d been more protective of their own possession; but they and others have learned a little bit that kicking deep doesn’t let England have it all their own way.
FULL TIME! France 7 - 13 England
80 mins. Time is up and England are grinding at the line, before Harrison decides that’s plenty and kicks the ball off to end a compelling match.
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79 mins. England eat up metres and minutes with their incomparable catch and drive. They are in the 22 in the centre of the field, on the ball and daring France to defend without conceding or infringing.
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77 mins. A massive shove from the France pack has Cleall flailing at the base of the England scrum, but the sub does enough to secure it. The ball is booted away and we settle into a short period of kicks before the Red Roses have a few runs into the French defence, who are offside!
England lineout coming on Les Bleus 22.
74 mins. France have a promising attack after Vernier rattles the ball from Scarratt in a huge tackle. The ball goes left through hands, all the way to Marine Menager on the wing who lets the ball bounce off her chest for ANOTHER BLOODY KNOCK-ON!
72 mins. Joyeux has a big carry off the maul but her offload can’t find Hermet and goes forward under intense England defensive pressure. Another handling error, but at least this one was trying something with potential high reward.
70 mins. The kicking continues until Scarratt decides to run one back, but her out of the back offload to Rowland on the right touchline does little but put her team-mate in trouble and the centre knocks on. This is compounded when France win a scrum penalty in the England half.
68 mins. Slight shift in tactics from France as they are kicking more and deeper, this is repaid by England doing similar. Eventually Drouin boots one out of the full.
65 mins. Time is off while Leanne Infante receives some treatment. She’s up and ready to go again
Sub for England:
Sarah Bern is off of Maud Muir
TRY! France 7 - 13 England (Gaelle Hermet)
63 mins. Botterman has given away two penalties since her entry into the game and the latest is tapped quickly by Bourdon. As England attempt to realign in defence a cross-kick by Drouin is grabbed by Joanna Grisez who bears down on Dow and offloads from the tackle to Hermet who scores.
Drouin converts.
This could get interesting.
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PENALTY! France 0 - 13 England (Emily Scarratt)
61 mins. Abby Dow is on from Lydia Thompson and her first touch is similar to last week as she flies through a tackle on the right. Unfortunately for England it doesn’t end in a try this week, but it puts her side attacking in the French 22.
France are offside and new on-field captain Scarratt calls for the tee and extends the lead.
58 mins. France must be absolutely exhausted from this defending, however the fact they remain only 10 points behind still could and should energise them for the final 30 minutes.
They make a decent start by having a lineout on the England 22, but Ward gets up and nicks the ball from Fall.
55 mins. It’s a short move from the lineout and it puts Cockayne over the line but the ball is held up by two French defenders. Incredible effort.
There then follows a bit of pasty between the teams as tempers boil over. The ref tells them to calm down and get on with it.
Hannah Botterman replaces Sarah Hunter.
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53 mins. More England carries in the France 22 test the defence, with Les Bleus close again to snaffling the ball at the breakdown, but the latest effort is fumbled forward.
The England pack nudge forward five metres in the scrum drive, spin it left but it’s another ball steal by France, this time right on the line!
But Ref Neville takes it back to the penalty advantage from the scrum. The Red Roses have a 5m attacking lineout and France a repeat defensive set to contend with.
That’s 154 tackles now.
50 mins. On the latest French scrum England absolutely hammer forward to splinter the blue pack. Somehow, Escudero at the base of the scum manages to grab the ball as the wide tide washes over her.
The ball is out and England are nearly in on the left but an uncharacteristic handling error from Scarratt ends a promising attack in the 22.
46 mins. Claudia MacDonald decides it’s time to get amongst it, coming all the way off her left wing to the right to have a carry that bounces a couple of tackles. Sarah Hunter knocks on in next phase for France scrum, mid-way in their own half.
Coco Lindelauf is on for Anaelle Deshaye
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43 mins. Early penalty for France gives them a lineout in the Red Roses half. Vital they create something here, if only to have some time in the game not defending to feel more energised.
They win it securely and have a few drives before Vernier drills a diagonal grubber into touch. England will have to play from their own 5m line and Harrison boots it clear, taking no chances.
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SECOND HALF!
41 mins. Zoe Harrison hammers the ball 30 metres to Drouin who returns to touch around halfway. Welcome back!
Half time musings.
England very much on top and it’s only France’s quality in defence that is stopping this being a whomping thus far. However, Les Bleus have made 127 tackles to England’s 35 in that half, and with the Red Roses likely to up the intensity in the second forty this score could get messy. Not Fiji levels of messy, but enough to puncture some French dignity.
France would go a long way to having a better experience this game by not regularly chucking the ball away like it’s a startled Skunk.
HALF TIME! France 0 - 10 England
40 mins. PEEEP. Infante boots the ball off and that’s the first half done.
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PENALTY! France 0 - 10 England (Emily Scarratt)
39 mins. A penalty for England after some blue hands in the ruck. It’s bang in front and Scarratt calls for the tee and slots it.
Ref Neville has warned France a card is coming for repeat penalties if this continues.
37 mins. The ball is worked all the way to Thompson on the right touchline and there’s a sniff of a try, but the French scramble is good and forces her into touch.
But we'll come back for a penalty as Gabrielle Vernier tipped Kildunne beyond the horizontal earlier in the phase.
35 mins. One day, they will make Netflix documentary about this France attacking performance called, “When No-one Can Do Anything Right” (it’s a working title, I admit). The latest is Drouin booting the ball out on the full from outside the 22 with not England player anywhere near her.
It’s just not good enough at this level, basically.
32 mins. France tackle for their lives again, and it’s another superb effort at the breakdown, this time from Maelle Filopon, to clamp on and win a penalty.
They clear their lines, but the lineout is overthrown and once again France can’t hold onto the sodding ball. That’s eight handling errors now. Yeesh.
30 mins. A probing diagonal kick from Harrison has the ball behind Emilie Boulard in the 22, and the French wing can do nothing but punt it into touch with not a great amount of distance. Here come England again.
28 mins. Bourdon kicks under pressure from the England blitz defence but it’s a nothing tactic that is easily marked by MacDonald. Poor option, but a symptom of the French frustration.
It’s yet another handling error for France, this time from Drouin fielding a regulation kick under no pressure. It’s hard enough to beat England without regularly giving them the ball for no good reason.
26 mins. 76% possession for England so far, and France have tackled for their lives which may be a problem in the late stages. But, for the first time in a while Les Bleus are on the ball in the England half.
That try has been coming for the previous ten minutes, there was only so much France could do really. Especially when you consider the disruption of losing two huge players so early.
TRY! France 0 - 7 England (Emily Scarratt)
24 mins. From a lineout, England go to the tail and for once spurn the catch and drive to tip it off the top. It gets them to the 5m line quicker and the creeping menace of repeated forward carries sets in before the ball is popped to Scarratt on a scissor run from deep. She’s over!
She picks herself up and converts her own try.
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22 mins. It’s slowly, surely beginning to feel like England are edging towards dominating this game. France cannot get any possession or territory and the penalty count is racking up in the face of the Red Roses’ tightening noose.
It’s another attack in the 22, but again France frustrate at the breakdown, before eventually giving away another penalty.
19 mins. When we restart, England are still on the French 5m line rattling up and into the tackle line to look for a breakthrough. Les Bleus are fanned out across the field and repelling all efforts before England inch over the line via an Abby Ward carry. But Hermet, just on the field, holds the ball up!
Still no score, but still plenty to be interested in.
17 mins. As soon as I typed that Marlie Packer hit the line beautifully on a short angle to get in behind the French tackle line. She pops it to Cockayne to rumble into the 22 but the defence covers. On the next phase Menager gets her head in completely the wrong place in the tackle and is out cold on the deck.
Play rightly stops to check the French No8 out. She’s sitting up now, but her game is over as Gaelle Hermet replaces her. She’s in tears as the leaves the field, what a heartbreaking scene.
Two huge losses in the first quarter for France.
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16 mins. Safe to say this is a game for the defences so far, both sides great without the ball but less consistent when attempting to create rather than frustrate.
14 mins. France have had decent positions on the field on three separate occoasions, each of which have resulted in them spilling the ball like they have saucisson fingers.
The latest of these resutls in another offside penalty and England are back in the blue half and on the attack.
Substitution confirmed. Sansus is sitting up on the golf cart and being driven off to be replaced by Pauline Bourdon, he rival in the squad and partner in life. Double inspiration for Pauline to drive France forward.
12 mins. On the England 22, France have a catch and drive of their own that looks a decent platform, but some handling imprecision has the ball back in Packer’s hands.
There’s a break in play as Laure Sansus, the talismanic Les Bleus scrum-half, is down injured. It looks like the right knee and it doesn’t look good.
11 mins. The England maul was held by the French pack, leading the attack to be spread left and then back to the middle. The blue wall stands strong and eventually wins a penalty for England not releasing the ball.
Top quality stuff from both sides there.
8 mins. Zoe Harrison sends up a bomb to test France fullback Chloe Jacquet, a test she fails miserably as her attempt to catch it found her not even in the same timezone as the ball. France are then offside and England can get their deadly catch and drive going from a lineout in les Bleus 22.
5 mins. France’s first set of phased play in the England half has their forwards taking some big carries, but a tiny bit of isolation in a run from Romane Menager allows Marlie Packer to clamp on to win a penalty for the Red Roses.
England send the ball left to MacDonald who is nearly away but for a desperate covering tackle.
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2 mins. Early chance for the packs to size each other up after a France knock on. Les Bleus appear to get a nudge on, but Ref Neville decides to collapsed with no fault, then an early engagement free kick allows England to boot the ball into the France half.
Encouraging signs for the French forwards, though.
Kick Off!
1 min. A long blast of ref Joy Neville’s whistle brings a kick from Drouin and we’re away.
The teams are out as the gloaming gathers overheard in Whangarei.
It’s anthem time.
Milestone alert!
Sarah Hunter, England’s inspirational, indefatigable captain today equals Rocky Clarke’s record of 137 caps. It’s not a hugely risky prediction to say that she’ll end this tournament as the most capped England player of all time.
.@sarah_hunter8 is set to become England’s joint most-capped player tomorrow 👏
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 14, 2022
The #RedRoses captain received a standing ovation after being presented with her 137th cap 🌹#WearTheRose | #ENGvFRA pic.twitter.com/u6ayU3PT4a
So far today in the Rugby World Cup….
Scotland narrowly lost to Australia in the first match. That’s two games, two losses by three points or less for the women in blue.
Check out the action from #SCOvAUS with the
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 15, 2022
6 minute highlights!https://t.co/YSHPptguvT
And the USA have just beaten Japan to get their first stage points in an entertaining encounter.
Welcome to the #RWC2021 party, @USARugby 🥳
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 15, 2022
They leave Whangārei with the full 🖐 points #USAvJPN pic.twitter.com/y7yxBsAZEp
Pre Match reading.
These teams are very familiar to one another, and Rob Kitson has a look at what that means for today
What’s your favourite thing about Saturday? Other than reading this MBM report, obviously.
“Saturday’s Child” by The Monkees? That feeling when you look at your phone and you didn’t embarrass yourself on social media when bladdered Friday night?
Brunch? Lunch? Monster Munch? Monster Munch for brunch and lunch?
Tell me all this and more via email or on the Twitter @bloodandmud
Teams
One change from Simon Middleton as he brings the peerless Marlie Packer in at the expense of Sadia Kebaya. It says much for Packer’s standing that her return can jettison a Player of the Match performer from last week from today’s squad entirely. The noises off wondering if Jess Breach may return have been resisted, with the pairing of Lydia Thompson and Claudia MacDonald, rampant last week vs Fiji, retained along with Abby Dow on the bench.
It’s a similar nearly as you were pick for France with the only change being vice captain Agathe Sochat preferred to Laure Touyé at hooker, the latter taking a place on the bench.
ENGLAND
15. Ellie Kildunne; 14. Lydia Thompson, 13. Emily Scarratt, 12. Helena Rowland, 11. Claudia MacDonald; 10. Zoe Harrison, 9. Leanne Infante; 1. Vickii Cornborough, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern; 4. Zoe Aldcroft, 5. Abbie Ward; 6. Alex Matthews, 7. Marlie Packer, 8. Sarah Hunter (c).
Replacements
16. Connie Powell, 17. Hannah Botterman, 18. Maud Muir, 19. Cath O’Donnell, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Lucy Packer, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Abby Dow.
FRANCE
15. Chloe Jacquet; 14. Joanna Grisez, 13. Maelle Filopon, 12. Gabrielle Vernier, 11. Emilie Boulard; 10. Caroline Drouin, 9. Laure Sansus; 1. Annaelle Deshaye, 2. Agathe Sochat, 3. Clara Joyeux; 4. Celine Ferer (c), 5. Madoussou Fall; 6. Charlotte Escudero, 7. Marjorie Mayans, 8. Romane Menager.
Replacements
16. Laure Touye, 17. Coco Lindelauf, 18. Assia Khalfaoui, 19. Safi N’Diaye, 20. Gaelle Hermet, 21. Pauline Bourdon, 22. Lina Queyroi, 23. Marine Menager.
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Preamble
Welcome to Whangarei for this second group stage round tie between England and France.
This game is a tricky situation this for the England women and their coach, Simon Middleton. France are the last Northern Hemisphere team to defeat the Red Roses back in 2018, and the team that have the potential to knock England off their perch 26 wins tall perch. However, this outcome has not been the case since that gallic victory four years ago, with all 14 meetings since producing an England win by an average of 12 points.
Why is it tricky then, you may ask? Well, this is an early match-up between two tournament front runners and anything shy of a comfortable win for the team in white will likely be seen as an underperformance. Heavy lies the crown, and all that. And I come back to France being one of the teams with the ability to make England uncomfortable. To maybe even beat them. England, ever the powerful pragmatists, will probably do the necessary and even a defeat would be stored in their revenge hump for later.
The truly worrying thing would be an England victory on a huge scale, as that would sound alarm bells for the competitiveness of this grand competition far too early in proceedings. Having said that, England men were absolutely walloped by the Springboks in the group phase of RWC2007 and still reached the final and made it competitive. So what do I know?
