The RFL

England Centre Joanne Watmore scored a hat trick of tries to help her team beat France in the Women’s International game at Lilleshall Sports Centre.

First half tries from Jodie Cuningham, Michelle Greenwood, Gemma Walsh gave the home side the perfect advantage.

But it was in the second half were England showed their class with further tries from Natalie Gilmour, Rachael Twibil and that hatrick from Watmore rounded off a perfect afternoon for the Women’s team.

An injury to stand off Gemma Walsh late on in the match was the only sour point for the England side. Walsh was taken to hospital with a suspected right knee injury.

Laurianne Guigue and Marine Janvier added the consolation tries for the French outfit.

The women’s side, coached by Brenda Dobek, produced a superb team display and Dobek was delighted with their second half performance, “We recovered quite a bit in the second half. We were below average in the first half but we really upped the pace in the second half so I’m really pleased. We can take away a lot from today, there is still a lot to learn but we can take a lot of positives from the game today.”

Dobek paid tribute to centre Joanne Watmore after her superb display “She had a storming second half, scored three really good tries and proved what strength she has within herself.”

It took just two minutes for England to open the scoring. A knock on by France just 10 metres out from their own line proved costly as England quickly capitalised, centre Cunningham forced her way over from close range. Gilmour added the extras to give the home side a 6-0 lead.

The French side had their first chance eight minutes later. Two successive penalties for holding down marched them downfield and put them into a perfect position to reply. But a knock on from Janvier stopped any momentum that they had built.

From the re-start, England capitalised and stretched their lead even further. Winger Twibil made a superb break down the right hand side and marched her team up to half way on the first tackle. A kick and catch from scrum half Kirsty Moroney, created space for winger Greenwood who crept in score in the left hand corner. Gilmour again added a perfect conversion and England were looking comfortable.

However, France had re-grouped and on 17 minutes they were rewarded with a well worked team try. After forcing a drop out, France regained possession, the ball found centre Guigue and she scored just to the left of the posts. Audreu Pene missed with the conversion.

Both sides had further chances in the first half but neither side could capitalise.

On thirty minutes, England grabbed their third try of the first half after a break down the right hand side from Cunningham. The ball eventually found Walsh who went over with three defenders holding on to her. Gilmour missed with the conversion.

France finished off the first half scoring just before half time. Delphine Lacoste collected the ball from their own re-start which meant they were in the perfect position to attack. After some quick passing moves, Janvier found a gap in the England defence to score. Ludivine Miorin couldn’t add the extras and England went in at half time 16-4 up and looking strong.

England began the second half on fire. With just six minutes on the clock they extended their lead to 20-8. Twibil, after an excellent clean break down the left hand side was held up on the third tackle, but from the resulting play the ball, Watmore went over the try line to score the first of her hat rick. Gilmour couldn’t add the extras.

That lead was extended on fifty two minutes. Gilmour side stepped through a strong France defence to score a magnificent solo try underneath the posts, she converted her own try.

France seemed to struggle with injuries in the opening stages of the second half. They lost their inspirational scrum half Sonia Zaghdoudi which seemed to affect their attacking options.

England took full advantage of this and added two successive tries, both through Watmore, the pick of which came after a superb thirty metre break that finished underneath the posts. Gilmor added one conversion and England were in control and leading 36-8.

With just eight minutes left play was stopped when England stand off Gemma Walsh went down with a badly injured knee.

But it didn’t affect England and the afternoon’s scoring was rounded off two minutes from time. France’s tired defence was cut open and winger Twibil found a gaping hole on the left hand side. Gilmour couldn’t add the extras but they had done enough to beat the French outfit comfortably and put in a solid performance as a perfect warm up for their tour Down Under in the autumn.

HT: 16-8
FT: 40-8
Referee: Warren Turley
Player of the Match: Joanne Watmore

England
Tries: Cunningham, Greenwood, Walsh, Watmore 3, Gilmour, Twibil
Goals: Gilmour 4/8

France
Tries: Guigue, Janvier
Goals: Pene 0/1, Miorin 0/1

England
1. Lindsey Anfield, 2. Michelle Greenwood, 3. Joanne Watmore, 4. Jodie Cunningham, 5. Rachael Twibil, 6. Gemma Walsh, 7. Kirsty Moroney, 8. Emma Slowe, 9. Lois Forsel, 10. Amanda Donaldson, 11. Clare Robinson, 12. Beth Sutcliffe, 13. Natalie Gilmour
Subs: 14, Isobel Howard, 15. Holly Freestone, 16. Danielle Bose, 17. Danielle Titterington

Head Coach: Brenda Dobek
Assistant Coach: Nigel Johnson
Team Manager: Anita Noughton

France
1. Ludivine Miorin, 2. Sonia Benchougi, 3. Laurianne Guigue, 4. Rachel Cousseau, 5. Marine Janvier, 6. Jayne-Marie Bentley, 7. Sonia Zaghdoudi, 8. Nabila Zaghdoudi, 9. Elise Labrunie, 10. Audreu Pene, 11. Maud Signoret, 12. Delphine Lacoste, 13. Virginie Calvo
Subs: 14. Jennifer Boukehili, 15. Safi N’Diaye, 16. Mira M’Raidi, 17. Marine Gonzalez

Head Coach: Olivier Janzar

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