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England Women close to sealing Six Nations title

Article Published: Saturday 13 March 2010

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England Women ran in an impressive nine tries en-route to a 51-0 victory against Scotland on Saturday in Edinburgh to remain on track to secure a fifth and record breaking 6 Nations title.

Gary Street's side will now travel to France on Friday, kick off 7pm GMT, aiming to secure a grand slam title and another Six Nations crown.

Worcester's Amber Penrith, Richmond's Fiona Pocock and Lichfield's Emily Scarratt all secured braces of tries whilst there was also touch downs for Heather Fisher, who was named Women of the Match, Jo McGilchrist and Rebecca Essex.

England Head Coach Street said: "I am really pleased with this win. Scotland competed well for the whole 80 minutes but really our quality was telling in the end.

"I changed our squad quite significantly for this game, and despite the changes, the players responded really well. They were full of belief and showed that we have a big squad full of quality players. Certainly all the players did their jobs today and that is going to make selection very difficult ahead of our game on Friday against France."

Worcester wing Penrith, who had been called up from England A, showed her class early on when a counter attack from a poor Scotland kick saw England gain possession, spin the ball out through the backs, for Penrith to finish off the move in the opening minutes.

Captain Katy McLean missed the conversion but flanker Fisher nudged England into a 10-0 after as many minutes. Some good pressure by England saw the ball moved from the left to the right wing, and Fisher then danced her way through the Scottish defence to score under the posts. McLean this time converted handing England the 10-0 lead.

Lichfield's Scarratt was once again back on the scoreboard, claiming the first of her two tries on 14 minutes. Pocock, starting her first ever game for England at full back, made a good break but she was brought down just short of the try line. Penrith was in support and she then released to 19-year-old Scarratt.

Richmond lock Jo McGilchrist rounded off England's dominance in the first half with a fourth and final try to hand the visitors a 22-0 lead at half time.

After the restart, the one way traffic continued with Pocock, in fine form, touching down for the first or her two tries. A good line out saw the ball spun into the midfield, and Pocock took it on and found a great line to score under the posts. McLean added the conversion.

Penrith's second try came on 55 minutes after a good scrum and drive saw the ball eventually popped out to the backs and then to Penrith on the left wing. Lock Essex then added England's seventh try after some good pressure by England which enabled Essex to muscle her way over the line and score. Scarratt, taking over the kicking duties, converted.

With just minutes remaining on the clock England kept the tempo high and ran in two tries in the space of three minutes courtesy of Pocock and Scarratt, the latter of which was a great individual score.

Final Score Scotland 0 (0) England 51 (22)

Scorers

England
Tries: Penrith (2), Fisher, Scarratt (2), McGilchrist, Pocock (2), Essex,
Conversions: McLean (2), Scarratt
Penalties:

Scotland
Tries:
Conversions:
Penalties:

Referee: Paul Haycock - IRFU
Assistant Referees: Mhairi Hay and Kevin McGhee

Teams

England

15 Fiona Pocock (Richmond), 14 Katherine Merchant (Worcester), 13 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), 12 Kimberley Oliver (Bristol), 11 Amber Penrith (Worcester), 10 Katy McLean (C) (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 9 Amy Turner (Richmond), 1 Claire Purdy (Wasps), 2 Emma Layland (Richmond), 3 Sophie Hemming (Bristol), 4 Rebecca Essex (Richmond), 5 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), 6 Karen Jones (Worcester), 7 Heather Fisher (Worcester), 8 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks).

Replacements: 16 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 17 Rochelle Clark (Team Northumbria), 18 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), 19 Catherine Spencer (Bristol), 20 LaToya Mason (Wasps), 21 Rachael Burford (Richmond), 22 Francesca Matthews (Richmond)

Substitutions: Matthews for Merchant (HT), Clark for Purdy, Garnett for Layland, Alphonsi for Fisher (all 60), Burford for McLean, Mason for Turner (62)

Scotland

15 Celia Hawthorn (Edinburgh University), 14 Lynsey Douglas (London Wasps), 13 Lucy Millard (Team Northumbria), 12 Veronica Fitzpatrick (RHC Cougars), 11 Victoria Blakebrough (Richmond), 10 Tanya Griffith (RHC Cougars), 9 Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars), 1 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead / Jordanhill), 2 Sarah-Louise Walker (Watsonians), 3 Gillian McCord (RHC Cougars), 4 Louise Moffat (Murrayfield Wanderers), 5 Lindsay Wheeler (Team Northumbria), 6 Lynne Reid (RHC Cougars) (C), 8 Susie Brown (Richmond), 7 Donna Kennedy (Worcester) .

Replacements: 16 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), 17 Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers), 18 Natalya Macholla (Stirling County), 19 Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), 20 Sarah Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers), 21 Laura Steven (Murrayfield Wanderers), 22 Stephanie Johnston (Hillhead / Jordanhill).

England's 6 Nations Fixtures and Results:

England v Wales, Feb 6th, Esher RFC, KO 7pm WON 31-0
Italy v England, Feb 13th, Noceto, KO 230pm WON 41-0
England v Ireland, Feb 28th, Esher RFC, KO 3pm WON 22-5
Scotland v England, March 13th, Meggatland, KO 130pm WON 51-0
France v England, March 19th, Rennes Stade Vellodrome, KO 8pm

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