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England 47-26 USA: Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 – as it happened

This article is more than 6 years old

England dominated the first half to secure top spot in Pool B and a place in the last four before the USA’s late rally boosted their own semi-final hopes

 Updated 
Thu 17 Aug 2017 11.15 EDTFirst published on Thu 17 Aug 2017 09.00 EDT
Amy Wilson Hardy (centre) celebrates with Emily Scarratt after scoring a try early in the second half.
Amy Wilson Hardy (centre) celebrates with Emily Scarratt after scoring a try early in the second half. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
Amy Wilson Hardy (centre) celebrates with Emily Scarratt after scoring a try early in the second half. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

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Full time: England 47-26 USA

That’s that, as England secure their semi-final place – but the USA rallied brilliantly from 47-7 down to pick up a bonus point, and boost their own chances of a spot in the last four. This was England’s most complete performance of the tournament, but there is work to do if they are to retain their trophy, with New Zealand in such ominous form. Thanks for joining me. Bye!

England’s Alex Matthews is presented by the Aon player of the game award. Photograph: Inpho/Rex/Shutterstock
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TRY! England 47-26 USA (Thomas)

Drama in the final seconds, as the USA work the ball from side to side with 80 minutes already played. Kris Thomas picks it up in midfield and shows incredible speed and poise to wriggle through the England defence. The try is converted, but more importantly, the US have the bonus point at the very last.

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78 mins: Time is running out for the US to grab a fourth try, and a crucial bonus point – they’re still pushing forward, but England’s refreshed pack are keeping them pinned back in their own half.

76 mins: Sylvia Braaten comes on for Kelter, as Alex Matthews is named player of the match. Matthews and her back row colleagues Packer and Hunter have dominated the breakdown.

74 mins: England without a point since the opening moments of this second half, and while they’re cruising into the semi-finals, that statement victory is slipping away. The USA win a scrum and hold possession well – unlike against Italy and Spain, England haven’t benefitted from their opponents running out of steam.

72 mins: Two more changes for the USA: Sam Pankey comes on for Katy Augustyn, and Stacey Bridges is replaced by Abby Gustaitis. She plays for Northern Virginia, which sounds a tough place to go on a wet Tuesday night.

70 mins: Tapper and Thomas, the USA’s fleet-footed wingers, have been their standout players. England have to stand firm to prevent Thomas going in at one corner, before Tapper pops up moments later on the other side of the field – but a knock-on gives England breathing space.

68 mins: England’s defence are under the most pressure they’ve been all tournament, and Amber Reed’s kick is closed down, looping in the air and falling to Washington. The USA will have a scrum, as Sommer, who plays for Saracens’ sister club in Seattle, comes on again for Parsons.

66 mins: The USA are very much on the front foot here, but England needn’t worry unduly – their lead is still 28 points. The Eagles make a change at scrum-half, with Kayla Canett replacing Deven Owsiany.

64 mins: England empty their bench with four more replacements. Vicky Fleetwood, Poppy Cleall, Leanne Riley and Megan Jones are in; Emily Scarratt, Natasha Hunt, Tamara Taylor and Amy Cokayne are out.

TRY! England 47-19 USA (Tapper)

They’ve got a third! The US win a scrappy lineout and Tapper does the rest, weaving through the England defence, who have no answer for her turn of pace, and bursting clear down the left side. Kelter converts.

USA’s Naya Elena Tapper runs in a try. Photograph: Donall Farmer/PA
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60 mins: Victory is beyond the USA now, but they have an interesting side quest – two more tries will earn them a bonus point, and hugely boost their semi-final prospects. As things stand, England will play the winner of Ireland v France in the semi-finals, with the loser of that game or the USA facing New Zealand.

58 mins: Reed’s first kick from the fly-half position forces Tapper onto her heels, and the USA run out of space in the face of fierce pressure from England’s backs. A World Cup debut for US prop Nicole James, who replaces Katy Benson.

56 mins: Four quick changes for England. Rochelle Clark and Justine Lucas replace Cornborough and Bern in the front row, Harriet Millar-Mills comes in for Packer in the back row, and centre Rachael Burford is on for Mclean, with Amber Reed moving to fly-half.

53 mins: Rozier offers another canny diagonal kick which Wilson-Hardy shepherds into touch. Neville calls a time-out after Packer is hurt. Jordan Gray made the tackle, but the TMO finds no reason to award a penalty.

TRY! England 47-12 USA (Emba)

Backing up my words nicely, the US break upfield and score their second try. Thomas and Tapper are involved before the third ex-sprinter in their team, Cheta Emba, goes over. That trio would make a pretty mean relay team. Kelter’s kick into the wind flies wide of the posts.

49 mins: Faaee is replaced by Hope Rogers in the US front row. It should be stressed that this USA team are no pushovers – they’re ranked sixth in the world, and have reached the World Cup final three times.

TRY! England 47-7 USA (Cokayne)

An England lineout practically on the try-line ends with predictable results, as hooker Amy Cokayne powers over the line. That’s her third try of the tournament – she’s impressed in the absence of the first-choice Vicky Fleetwood.

46 mins: Parsons is OK to continue, and Sommer returns to the bench. Meanwhile, England win the lineout, and a penalty as US captain Tiffany Faaee brings the maul down. Katy Mclean sets up an attacking line-out...

45 mins: Wilson-Hardy is penalised for not releasing, but the USA can’t make any ground at the breakdown, and eventually concede a penalty themselves. Mclean kicks expertly to the corner.

TRY! England 40-7 USA (Wilson-Hardy)

This is far too easy for England, Amber Reed making space for Mclean, who passes to Scarratt. She has all the time in the world to offload the ball right to Wilson-Hardy, who strolls into the corner. Scarratt converts, and England look good value to better their tallies against Spain and Italy.

Amy Wilson Hardy of England takes the ball past Cheta Emba of USA to score a try. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
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Half time: England 33-7 USA

Five tries for a dominant England, who will have to muck this up in spectacular fashion to miss out on the semi-finals from here. The USA have impressed in patches going forward, but will need to tighten up to sneak into the semi-finals themselves. More soon...

TRY! England 33-7 USA (Mclean)

The US defence is too quick to push up after England win the scrum, and Mclean races clean through the gap to touch down. Scarratt can’t nail the conversion, but England will still have a healthy half-time lead.

England’s Katie McLean goes over. Photograph: Donall Farmer/PA
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39 mins: Scarratt slots a grubber kick through the US defence that just escapes the grasp of Wilson-Hardy, bursting down the right wing. A scrum, and a chance at a fifth try before the break...

37 mins: Tapper is frustrated as Kelter can’t pick her out in space near the right touchline. Taylor grabs lineout ball again, but Natasha Hunt is penalised for flamboyantly leaping over a tackle.

35 mins: Taylor, so dominant in the line-outs she may as well be on a stepladder, collects another one with ease, but the USA turn the ball over. They’ve been much stronger since Augustyn’s return.

TRY! England 28-7 USA (Zackary)

The USA maintain their forward momentum, Alycia Washington crashing through a couple of tackles and setting up Kate Zackary to score. Kelter converts from 20 metres out to make the scoreline a little more respectable.

30 mins: England win the lineout, but Mclean’s kick into the wind is collected by Tapper. The USA have spare backs on the left flank, and Emba feeds the ball to Kris Thomas. It looks a certain try, but Amy Wilson-Hardy does a superb job to prevent Thomas grounding the ball!

28 mins: Kimber Rozier’s crafty diagonal kick has to be watched carefully by Danielle Waterman. The USA, with Augustyn back in the fray, win a scrum and work the ball out to the right, but England’s defence swamps Naya Tapper, and the danger passes. Zackary returns as Augustyn’s yellow card expires.

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TRY! England 28-0 USA (Packer's second try)

England go for a hat-trick of rolling mauls down the right flank after Taylor collects a line-out. Marlie Packer – there’s nominative determinism in action – barrels through for her second try. England have already sewn up a bonus point, and Scarratt converts to extend the lead further.

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22 mins: The US would not have expected to be so far down so soon, and another attacking move falls apart as Sara Parsons is stripped of the ball. Theirs is a team with plenty of strength and pace, but lacking big-game experience – something England have exploited ruthlessly.

TRY! England 21-0 USA (Packer)

Tamara Taylor collects the lineout and we’re in a familiar pattern, with an England maul bustling towards the line. The US pack, a player light, have absolutely no answer as Marlie Packer powers over the line. Scarratt converts from out wide, despite a swirling wind.

England’s Marlie Packer crosses the line to score. Photograph: Inpho/Rex/Shutterstock
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18 mins: 73% possession and 84% territory for England so far, and that was when the USA had 15 players. They stand little chance at the next scrum, and Amy Wilson-Hardy cuts in from the wing. Another penalty conceded, kicked to the corner this time by Mclean. Sam Pankey replaces Kate Zackary to provide front-row cover.

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Penalty try! England 14-0 USA

The US front row collapse the maul inches from the line, and referee Joy Neville awards a penalty try. US hooker Katy Augustyn is sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes, and the Eagles are right up against it now.

14 mins: The USA enjoy a spell of possession in the England half, but Mclean turns the tables with an excellent kick downfield. England dominate the scrum, lock into a relentless rolling maul, and a second try feels inevitable...

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12 mins: Emily Scarratt is now England women’s all-time leading points scorer – although the player she just overtook, Katy Mclean, is on the pitch alongside her.

TRY! England 7-0 USA (Scarratt)

It had looked a hopeful appeal, but replays show that Scarratt got her left hand to the ball after impressively winning a foot race with US full-back Emba. Scarratt slots away the conversion, and England lead.

England’s Emily Scarratt scores the first try of the game despite the attempts of USA’s Cheta Emaba. Photograph: Donall Farmer/PA
Scarratt then kicks a couple of extra points when her conversion goes between the sticks. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
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9 mins: England have started this game with plenty of intent, and are bullying their opponents at set plays. A lineout five metres out leads to a rolling maul, before Mclean smartly slots a kick between the posts. Scarratt chases it down, and celebrates – but it’ll have to go to TMO...

7 mins: England penalised for an offside, allowing Emba to kick for touch – but the US concede possession fromn the lineout and prop Sarah Bern belts down the right touchline! England work the ball left, but Danielle Waterman can’t haul in a pass, with Kay Wilson perhaps better placed behind her.

5 mins: Some nerves in the American ranks, with Emba’s clearing kick ricocheting off Sarah Hunter and back into US territory. Sara Parsons is penalised for not releasing, but Emily Scarratt slices a straightforward kick wide of the posts.

3 mins: England hold the ball from the lineout and test the US defence, but can’t find the gap, forcing Mclean to kick into touch again. The USA win the lineout, and get a penalty close to their own try-line as Marlie Packer is penalised.

1 mins: Cheta Emba, one of three former sprinters among the US backs, shows a turn of pace after collecting a kick. England regain the ball, and fly-half Katy Mclean finds touch.

Five minutes until kick-off as the teams trot out on an overcast day in Ireland. Both (admittedly well-known) anthems are sung with gusto by players and fans alike.

The England squad line up. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/World Rugby via Getty Images
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There’s already been one match at UCD’s Billings Park today, with New Zealand bulldozing Canada 48-5 in their final Pool A game. Aldora Itunu ran in three tries for the Black Ferns, as England’s biggest title rivals reached the semi-finals with a points difference of +196.

Selica Winiata runs in New Zealand’s opening try. Photograph: INPHO/REX/Shutterstock
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The teams

England: Waterman, Wilson-Hardy, Scarratt, Reed, Wilson, Mclean, Hunt; Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Scott, Taylor, Matthews, Packer, Hunter (c).
Replacements: Fleetwood, Clark, Lucas, Cleall, Millar-Mills, Riley, Burford, Jones.

USA: Emba, Tapper, Heavirland, Kelter, Thomas, Rozier, Owsiany; Benson, Augustyn, Faaee (c), Bridges, Washington, Parsons, Zackary, Gray.
Replacements: Pankey, Rogers, James, Gustaitis, Sommer, Canett, Braaten, Wooden.

Preamble

The World Cup’s curious format could make for a frantic afternoon of number-crunching for some, with all 12 teams playing their final pool matches in Dublin today.

The three group winners and the best runner-up will take their place in the semi-finals, to be held in Belfast. The equation is at least simple for England – defeat the USA and they will top their pool and guarantee progress.

England were consistent in their domination of Spain and Italy – scoring 10 tries and 56 points in both matches. Today’s opponents have also won their first two games, and should provide a tougher test – although anything other than an England win would be a big surprise.

Head coach Simon Middleton has made six changes for the match, with captain Sarah Hunter returning at No8 and Kay Wilson, scorer of four tries against Spain, also back in the side. With New Zealand powering through their pool, England will be keen to land a statement victory here. Kick-off is at 2pm BST.

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