England Clinches Second Consecutive Win Against Canada

 

England Clinches Second Consecutive Win Against Canada

England Triumphs Over Canada with 29-12 Victory at StoneX Stadium

In a thrilling encounter at StoneX Stadium, England secured a convincing 29-12 victory over Canada, completing a double triumph over their North American rivals.

The game took an unexpected turn early on when Gabrielle Senft of Canada received a red card in the 17th minute for a high tackle on Hannah Botterman. At that point, England was leading 10-0, courtesy of tries from Marlie Packer and Ellie Kildunne within the opening 13 minutes.

Despite being reduced to 14 players, Canada put up a fierce fight. However, England continued to dominate, with additional tries from Maud Muir, Amber Reed, and Jess Breach securing the win for the Red Roses.

Captain Marlie Packer initiated the scoring for England when she drove the ball over the line from a dominant driving maul. Kildunne added to the hosts' lead after 13 minutes with a well-executed try. Unfortunately, the conversion attempt by Meg Jones was unsuccessful.

Following Senft's dismissal, Canada managed to reduce the deficit with a 26th-minute try from Sara Svoboda. But just before halftime, England extended their lead as Muir crossed the try line, and this time, Jones successfully added the extras, making it 17-5 at halftime.

The Red Roses further solidified their lead ten minutes into the second half when Bristol's Amber Reed exploited a gap in the Canadian defense and scored another try. Jones once again displayed her kicking prowess by successfully converting the try.

Breach sealed the victory for England with a try following a brilliant run by Jones. This came moments after replacement scrum-half Lucy Packer had to leave the field due to injury.

Canada managed to reduce the deficit late in the game with a converted try by Taylor Perry, but England comfortably held on to their lead.

Amber Reed, named Player of the Match, acknowledged that it was a challenging game. She stated, "It was a tough game. Them getting the red card really galvanized them, and after that, it was about us getting back on top and getting back into the game."

Reed praised Canada's physicality and work ethic, emphasizing the importance of playing in the right areas and dealing with difficult situations.

Looking ahead to the global WXV tournament, which begins in three weeks, Reed expressed confidence in England's preparations for their opening match against Australia. She noted, "We've definitely got things to fix up on still, but where we started from five weeks ago, we've really tried to implement our game plan, and it's definitely coming — just a few little tweaks."

Reed highlighted the team's dedication and improvement over the past few weeks, expressing excitement about their prospects in the WXV tournament.