England Nil New Zealand

I'm not expecting much response on this thread, but when it became obvious Saints were going to walk it against Sarries I flirted with the red button and had a look at the womens test.

Wow! Was that a learning curve? I learnt plenty tonight.

Firstly, I'm more mysogynistic than I thought I was, secondly, women's rugby is played to a very high standard at this level (see my first point), thirdly, some really ugly blokes play women's rugby for New Zealand (see my first point), fourthly, it doesn't matter what level of the game you watch, refs still miss obvious infringements, fifthly, England women have a far better approach to the breakdown and quick ball than the England men do, and finally, England women are desperate for a scrum coach.

England beat New Zealand 10-0 tonight, but that doesn't reflect just how good England were, they pumped New Zealand in every facet of the game apart from the scrum, at scrumtime England were consistently contesting the ball going backwards and the fact that they were able to win so much of it was a glowing indictment for the No.8 who was immense (Sarah Hunter), as was the England 7 (Margaret Alphonsi) and the OC (Emily Scarratt), the overall movement, support lines, intensity at the tackle area and breakdown, the awareness, vision and physicality were nothing short of brilliant.

The "player of the Match" award (Sky's term not mine) went to Emily Scarratt, but for me Margaret Alphonsi was the difference between the two teams, she scored the only try through running a textbook line off Scarratt's shoulder on one of the many times Scarratt broke the line, won so many penalties and turnovers she'd make McCaw weep and hit every tackle like it was a matter of life or death.

Alphonsi is about 5'5" tall but plays as though she's closer to 6' and has a heart as big as a feckin cabbage.

Margaret, take a bow, England Women, congratulations on an excellent win, New Zealand Women - well played and good luck for the second Test.

The second Test is at Esher on Tuesday night, that's right people, Tuesday night - 1 day to recover, 1 day to prepare - where's Eliot now?



Well done girls (see my first point).

I was just about to ask if any one new the score of this game.

It was very close between these 2 teams last time they played, Womans rugby world cup. England do have a very good womens team and too be able to NIL New Zealand proves that point.

Well done the England women.

Damn, I was going to try and catch a bit of this game and forgot!

Cheers for the report, PJ. Good to see our womenfolk doing us proud

Fellas, it was a good game to watch, I don't want to appear patronising but I was astonished as to how good it was.

The next two games will be shown as highlights on Sky's Rugby Club - I've Plussed it already.

Good win by England,the Black Ferns like there male brothers seldom lose.
Bad Day for NZ Rugby losing the Sevens as well.

Alphonsi is an awesome tackling machine. In fact she is an awesome player. Any back row forward could learn from her.

I saw about half an hour of this match and agree with PJ. Entertaining and high quality. I would have rather paid to see that match than the shower of Poopie I saw from the Barbarians.

Shows how bad things in England are when they have to get comfort from the women's results!

Pound for pound, I would say that Maggie Alphonsi is the best 7 in the British Isles never mind her gender, she is an awesome player.

I agree with London Tiger. any back row forward could learn from her.

As big as I am (6'3" and just under 17 stone), I suspect I would come off worse in any contact. Her technique at the breakdown is better than any male English 7 I can think of.

She needs to go into coaching even if she is still playing, I am sure that some club can pay her a decent salary to show the boys how it should be done.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Pound for pound, I would say that Maggie Alphonsi is the best 7 in the British Isles never mind her gender, she is an awesome player.

I agree with London Tiger. any back row forward could learn from her.

As big as I am (6'3" and just under 17 stone), I suspect I would come off worse in any contact. Her technique at the breakdown is better than any male English 7 I can think of.

She needs to go into coaching even if she is still playing, I am sure that some club can pay her a decent salary to show the boys how it should be done.

I can't argue with that, she was immense and put in the most standout performance from a 7 I've seen in a very long time, I just don't understand why Scarratt got the player of the match.

I wonder how feasible it would be for a woman to coach men's rugby?

Personally I wouldn't have a problem with it and if she could produce a 7 for England men who had 90% of her ability I'd be seriously happy.

It's not going to happen though is it?