England Women maintained their 100 per cent record in this year’s Women’s Six Nations with a 13-9 win against Ireland Women at Twickenham.
Tries from Emma Croker and Abbie Scott and a penalty from Amber Reed helped seal the win but they were under huge amounts of pressure at times in the second-half.
Defending champions Ireland briefly led through three Niamh Briggs penalties and will be disappointed to have surrendered their lead when the opposition had Harriet Millar-Mills in the sin bin, and they missed the chance to become the first Ireland Women side to beat England away from home.
Following straight after the men’s 21-10 win against the same opposition at the same stadium, England’s women got off to a quick start when fly-half Reed put them ahead with a penalty in the ninth minute.
And they continued to assert their authority with the majority of territory, showing some fantastic moves in the backs but they couldn’t quite get the first score due to a few handling errors.
Their pressure finally told in the 21st minute when Reed elected to kick to the corner instead of taking three points. The forwards took a catch and drive and Croker, who came back into the side for this game, barged her way over, though Reed failed to add the extras from out wide.
However, despite England’s dominance throughout the first-half, their indiscipline at the breakdown cost them and Irish captain Briggs capitalised to slot over two penalties just before half-time and put her side just two points down at the break.
Briggs put Ireland ahead for the first time eight minutes after half-time with a long penalty from just in front of the ten metre line, and they must have thought they were on top when Millar-Mills received a yellow card in the 56th minute.
However England regained the lead after an hour despite a disadvantage in numbers. It was created by a number of phases and the work-rate of Amy Cokayne. Second row Scott was quick to pounce on the recycled ball and she scampered over.
Reed missed the conversion but England held on to put them top of the Women’s Six Nations table.
