England’s Crimson Roses are looking for a fifth Six Nations title in a row, and sixth within the final seven years
For practically everything of the primary half of Saturday’s Ladies’s Six Nations conflict between Wales and England at Cardiff Arms Park, the competition was a decent, extraordinarily aggressive affair. But, 40 minutes later, the ultimate rating learn Wales 3-59 England.
Performed in entrance of a document dwelling crowd of practically 9,000, with stands awash with crimson in spring sunshine, it was an event which mirrored and optimism which had by no means earlier than been so excessive, nor the temper so buoyant concerning Wales’ ladies’s facet.
And with good motive. Wales have by no means received the Ladies’s Six Nations title since its introduction in 1996, however into the second 12 months {of professional} contracts, off the again of complete victories over Eire and Scotland, and with a 19-year-old tighthead in Sisilia Tuipulotu who has reworked Wales’ scrummaging talents, and their functionality to strike for close-range tries, there was enormous perception.
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Just lately-retired England captain Sarah Hunter feels there may be extra to come back in skilled ladies’s rugby and suggests additional funding will push the sport ahead
Just lately-retired England captain Sarah Hunter feels there may be extra to come back in skilled ladies’s rugby and suggests additional funding will push the sport ahead
The opening 36 minutes backed up all of that. Wales have been steadily camped within the Crimson Roses’ 22, pressured scrum penalties, competed fiercely on the breakdown and regarded a menace with ball in hand. They appeared a match for England’s trophy-laden opponents in all aspects. And had dwelling benefit.
Crucially, although, Wales may solely take a 3-0 lead, when their stress arguably warranted extra. Up the opposite finish, England have been far much less charitable. Lucy Packer struck in opposition to the run of the play for his or her first, whereas Tatyana Heard grabbed a important second with half-time quick approaching for a 12-3 lead.
It was Abby Dow’s scintillating particular person attempt with the clock within the crimson that appeared to kill off Wales’ spirit and confidence although. In at half-time, having fought so arduous and been properly within the sport, they have been by some means 19-3 behind.
Wales could not get better, and England by no means regarded again, going ballistic within the second half in Cardiff to attain six additional tries en path to one more ugly scoreline from the match’s perspective.
Wales put England below stress for the opening half hour, however the Crimson Roses went ballistic within the second half
It was meant to be the day Wales gave England a rattle. And, in some ways, they did. However hopes that this might mark the beginning of a really aggressive Ladies’s Six Nations – filling up with skilled groups – didn’t materialise.
The Crimson Roses are looking for a fifth straight Six Nations title, and sixth within the final seven years. They’ve actually dominated the championship in current instances, with every of these title wins coming by means of a Grand Slam – other than 2021 when Covid-19 introduced a diminished format. Can anybody cease them?
Scotland have been swatted apart 58-7 in Spherical 1, and although qualification for the current World Cup in New Zealand marked an enormous step ahead for the Scots, they continue to be an excellent bit behind different sides, with full-time contracts solely handed out for the primary time in December, as 28 skilled offers have been agreed.
England beat Scotland 58-7 in Spherical 1 of the Six Nations this 12 months
Spherical 2 noticed Italy demolished 68-5 by England, and whereas the Azzurri have solely just lately proven themselves to be a aggressive pressure once more on the lads’s facet of issues, the Ladies’s facet have commonly battled away from the foot of the desk – solely ever gathering three Picket Spoons and at the moment ranked fifth on the earth. They’re a great distance from beating the well-oiled machine which might be the Crimson Roses although.
April 2022 noticed the Italian Rugby Federation hand out 25 full-time skilled contracts. And, like Wales and Scotland, the good thing about such a transfer might be noticeable in forthcoming years.
As touched on above, the WRU handed out 12 skilled contracts in March 2022, after which an additional 17 in July 2022. In March 2023, 25 new full-time contracts have been distributed, and the advance in Wales’ performances since getting into professionalism has been stark.
The development in Wales’ shows into their second 12 months of professional contracts has been enormous
In 2021, Eire travelled to Wales and beat them 45-0. On the opening weekend of the 2023 championship, Wales have been far superior in opposition to the identical opposition, beating Eire 31-5. Defensive sequences, lineout drills and scrummaging units have come on vastly, and with extra coaching time collectively for the squad, additional enhancements will come too.
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Geraint Hughes explains how Welsh rugby will change after WRU members overwhelmingly authorised a vote to make the sport extra inclusive and various
Geraint Hughes explains how Welsh rugby will change after WRU members overwhelmingly authorised a vote to make the sport extra inclusive and various
Eire have been truly Six Nations Grand Slam champions in 2015, World Cup semi-finalists in 2014, and 2013 Six Nations title winners, however their decline has been huge.
Their performances thus far this 12 months learn three matches, three defeats. 108 factors conceded, 15 scored. 17 tries conceded, two scored. Their solely dwelling sport has seen them face France, and regardless of Les Bleus being proven a primary half crimson card, a 14-player France registered a catastrophic 53-3 win vs Eire in Cork – a document for the fixture.
A 24-7 defeat to Italy in Parma adopted – one other document loss for the fixture. Eire subsequent face England in Cork, and all indicators level to a really heavy defeat. In truth, it might properly flip right into a document loss. They’ll then face Scotland in an try and keep away from a primary Picket Spoon since 2004.
Eire Ladies have gone from 2015 Grand Slam winners to failing to qualify for the World Cup and battling to keep away from the Picket Spoon
November 2022 noticed 29 skilled rugby contracts taken up in Eire, however there continues to be dispute and controversy surrounding the IRFU, ladies’s rugby and circumstances.
Hybrid contracts which might permit ladies to hold on their careers and play rugby for Eire haven’t been supplied, whereas there are contemporary claims the squad have been denied obligatory dietary supplements on a tour to Japan, gamers have been knowledgeable they have been dropped by way of e mail, others have been eliminated off mailing lists, and that the squad weren’t correctly consulted earlier than the transfer from white shorts to navy blue on account of interval considerations.
Head coach Greg McWilliams has most just lately needed to come out and deny the IRFU are sexist.
All of which comes after a interval wherein shock defeats to Spain and Scotland noticed Eire fail to qualify for the current World Cup – the primary event that had ever occurred. Ladies’s rugby in Eire is on the ground, and might solely go up from right here.
The almost definitely facet to finish England’s spell of overwhelming dominance is France. However to take action, they’ll should overturn a rotten document vs the Crimson Roses in current instances.
France have picked up three comfy victories thus far within the 2023 Six Nations
For a battle that was so typically arduous to name through the years, France have misplaced 11 Assessments in a row vs England, and solely received one of many final 16 encounters courting again to 2016.
England’s most-recent dramatic 34-31 World Cup closing defeat to New Zealand – a facet they comfortably dispatched by 31 and 41 factors in two victories a 12 months earlier – confirmed that issues can change, although.
France, at the moment ranked third on the earth and absolutely skilled since 2019 like England, picked up Six Nations titles in 2018, 2016 and 2014, and are hungry to style success once more. They misplaced within the World Cup pool levels to England by six factors, and misplaced video games in 2021 by simply two and 4 factors.
To date this Six Nations, France have crushed Italy 22-12, Eire 53-3 and, most just lately, Scotland 55-0. Latest historical past could also be in opposition to them, however a conflict at Twickenham with a Grand Slam on the road is a mouth-watering prospect. France will consider, however so will England’s very good Crimson Roses.