Italy Women (0) 0
England Women (22) 41
Tries: Staniford, Pocock, Clark, Spencer 2, Fisher, Alphonsi Cons: Richardson 2, McLean

Clark (right) scored a try for the second week in a row

England Women ran in seven tries as they crushed Italy to make it two wins out of two in the 2010 Six Nations.

Captain Catherine Spencer scored a brace, while Michaela Staniford, Fiona Pocock, Rochelle Clark, Heather Fisher and Maggie Alphonsi also crossed.

England have yet to concede a point in the championship this year.

"The effort the players put in today was as ever excellent - Italy really made us work hard for this win," said assistant coach Graham Smith.

"At times our execution wasn't always there and we needed to pay more attention to detail - we were certainly not as fluid as we were against Wales.

"But overall our scrummaging worked really well and all four of our wings made a massive contribution to the victory."

England scored after just three minutes with Staniford, starting her first game for England in a year, touching down.

Five minutes later England were 12-0 up, with wing Pocock going over, and further tries from prop Clark and number eight Spencer saw them 22-0 up at the break.

England made a raft of changes during half-time, bringing on wingers Amber Penrith and Fran Matthews, flanker Alphonsi and hooker Samantha Reeve.

Worcester flanker Fisher added their fifth try and Alphonsi and Spencer both crossed in the final 10 minutes as England finished in style.

England: Claire Allan (Richmond); Michaela Staniford (Wasps), Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), Rachael Burford (Richmond), Fiona Pocock (Richmond); Alice Richardson (Richmond), La Toya Mason (Wasps); Rochelle Clark (Team Northumbria), Amy Garnett (Saracens), Claire Purdy (Wasps), Rebecca Essex (Richmond), Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Heather Fisher (Worcester), Jane Leonard (Lichfield), Catherine Spencer (capt, Bristol).

Replacements: Samantha Reeve (Worcester), Sophie Hemming (Bristol), Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Francesca Matthews (Richmond), Amber Penrith (Bristol).

Substitutions: Alphonsi for Leonard, Penrith for Staniford, Matthews for Pocock, Reeve for Garnett (all HT), McLean for Burford, Hemming for Purdy (both 65), McGilchrist for Essex (70)

Italy: Manula Furlan; Sara Barattin, Maria Grazia Cioffi, Paola Zangirolami, Maria Dlietta Veronese; Veronica Schiavon, Michela Tondinelli; Elisa Cucchiella, Silvia Peron, Lucia Gai, Sara Pettinelli, Daniela Gini, Giuliana Campanella, Michela Este, Silvia Gaudino.

Replacements: Maria Beatrice Denza, Alice Trevisan, Cristina Molic, Cecilia Zublena, Valentina Schiavan, Silvia Pizzati, Elisa Rochas.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version