Today we see France take on England in the first of two test matches the first here in France and the return in at Twickenham. England are fresh off of winning their second successive Grand Slam title and will be looking to get some momentum going into the next years World Cup.
England have lost just one of the last 10 fixtures against France surely they will fancy themselves to put out another dominant display against one of their closest rivals.
Stanley Challenor will be taking you through the action as it happened.
Teams
France Squad: 1.Annaelle Deshaye, 2.Agathe Sochat, 3.Rose Bernadou, 4.Celine Ferer, 5.Coumba Diallo, 6.Marjorie Mayans, 7.Gaelle Hermet, 8.Emeline Gros, 9.Laure Sansus, 10.Caroline Drouin, 11.Marine Menager, 12.Carla Neisen, 13.Maelle Filopon, 14.Coralie Bertrand, 15.Shannon Izar
Subs: Touye, Ait Lahbib, Pelle, Feleu, Lecat, Bourdon, Vernier, Pignot.
1′ Were off! England gets things underway going from right to left on your screens.
4′ Dangerous line 10 metres from the French try-line Englands maul is thwarted but nine kicks cross field but England gather the kick but the ball is brought back for a penalty.
5′ Try Emily Cokayne France 0-5 England
Another line out from the penalty the maul is giving France so many problems and Kokayne scores the first points of the game, that seemed well too easy.
Conversion Emily Scarratt France 0-7 England
11′ Quick free kick taken by Sansus inside their own 15 and she goes on a senstaional mazing run but is brought down excellently by Abby Dow on England’s 35 which then leads to a forward pass and its an England scrum.
12′ Amy Killdunne took a really painful hit during that phase but shes made of tough stuff and after treatment will carry on.
14′ A coming together and Carla Nielsen went down look like she’d been knocked out and she will come off for Vernier and be assessed off the field.
17′ Another cheap penalty given away by France resulting in an England line out on their own 15 but the line out comings to nothing and France win a scrum.
22′ Try France 5-7 England Hermet
Very similar to England’s try line-out on Enlgands 15 and the maul of Frances was superb too much for England and the captain Hermet manages to twist her body and present the ball over the line.
Conversion Drouin France 7-7 England
Drouin converts comfortably
25′ Penalty conversion Drouin France 10-7 England
Just like the game has been turned on its head and this young England side have given a very cheap penalty away and are now behind. Will this youthful side start to unravel now.
31′ Penalty converted Scarratt France 10-10 England
We are level once more in Grenoble once more a really cheap penalty given away and Scarratt converts comfortably. Looks like this game is starting to open up now.
35′ Immense pressure from France now but England’s front line is holding very strong on their own 15 and the ball is tipped by what looked like a English hand they lose a good 10 metres. But the ball is brought back for a knock on and its a French scrum.
37′ Excellent aggressive scrum from England to in order to force the breakdown from France and they can relieve some pressure as they win the penalty.
Half-time
Very even contest both teams have been sloppy with the penalties they conceded; neither team has dominated the scrum also. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how the second half will go but more than likely it will continue to be very much a see-saw contest.
41′ Frances gets proceedings back underway here in the second half and they immediately win the ball back from their kick.
44′ Alex Matthews Try France 10-15 England
What a start from to the half, Helena Rowland with an unbelievable run from inside her own half beating multiple French players off loads to Cokayne who is intially brought down but then the ball is recovered too Matthews and she goes through unchallenged and scores.
Kick converted Scarratt France 10-17 England
46′ Try Jess Breach France 10-22 England
A quick counter punch from England the ball is cleared by France to around the own 30 Breach catches the ball fakes one pass sees an opening and goes all the way. She is a try scoring machine.
Kick converted Scarratt France 10-24 England
54′ France trying to answer back with something here they win a line-out inside England’s 15 but it’s stolen by Abbey Ward and England can kick for touch.
55′ Morwenna Talling on for Sarah Beckett as England makes their first change.
58′ Two changes for France here Ait Lahbib on for Bernadou and Elaise Pignot for Filopan.
61′ More changes for England now Cokayne has come off for Lark Davies
62′ Penalty Converted Scarratt France 10-27 England
Scarratt just keeps on firing not an easy kick at all but she puts enough legs on it and extends England’s lead.
62′ Change before France restart Chloe Pelle on for Deshaye.
63′ Now England who look like they are pulling away in this game and looking to rotate things Harriet Millar-Mills comes on for Poppy Cleall.
67′ Penalty converted Scarratt France 10-30 England
After an advantage for offside Scarratt immediately selects to taken the penalty right in front of the posts and that’s now 15 points for the England captain what a performance.
72′ The sting has really been taken out of the contest now both sides just kicking for territory. It looks like France are content with just playing damage control now.
77′ England have a scrum inside their own 15 but they stay strong like they have done all of this second half despite a lot of pressure by the French.
81′ Penalty converted Scarratt France 10-33 England
An excellent way to finish for England and for the captain Scarratt six out of six with the boot today an incredible player of the match performance.
Full-Time
What an incredible second half performance from the girls here completely shutting down all attacks from France and hosting a scoring frenzy at the other end. Another dominant performance for this incredibly talented English side, which now makes them the number one ranked team in the world! Phenomenal stuff.
