Red Roses rip up record books again as Cokayne leads rout of New Zealand
Att: 9,366
Some movie sequels are better than the original, and so it proved for England in this second blockbuster meeting with New Zealand. In registering another record scoreline over the world champions, eclipsing the 31-point victory they secured over the Black Ferns last weekend, they underlined their status as the overwhelming favourites to win next year’s World Cup.
England had every reason to be wary of a so-called “Blacklash” in the Midlands, but it never came. Instead the Red Roses ran riot, scoring eight tries past a rusty New Zealand side in a display of superiority which ripped up the stats book.
This was the first time England had secured back-to-back victories over the Black Ferns since 2012. To give some idea of the gulf between these top two-ranked nations in the women’s game, no side had ever put 50 points or more past the Black Ferns. In short, England made New Zealand look extremely ordinary.
From stampeding over the line from a driving maul – which they did on four occasions – to Zoe Harrison’s flawless afternoon from the tee, to Leanne Infante’s sublime game management on her return at scrum-half, it was another emphatic performance from Simon Middleton’s side. No wonder Poppy Cleall, who captained her country for the first time, likened the occasion to an “armchair ride.”
The build-up play for England’s first score offered a snapshot of their dominance. There was Marlie Packer, the English queen of turnovers, who won back possession on the halfway line just as the Black Ferns were enjoying some early momentum. There was Holly Aitchison’s sharp run which sliced New Zealand in two. Then there was Helena Rowland’s own jinking sprint towards the whitewash with such dazzling footwork it was worthy of the Strictly dance floor.
The episode was capped off by Amy Cokayne crashing over from a maul – the first of three she would dot down – to become the first England women’s player to score a hattrick against New Zealand. “I wasn’t aware there was a stat on that, but I can’t take too much credit,” smiled Cokayne afterwards. “I was just lucky enough to be the person at the back riding the wave before I put the ball on the line.”
It was a wave on which England surfed throughout the match. Ellie Kildunne glided over for the hosts’ second after their opponents badly rushed a quick line-out that gifted England possession in the danger zone. It seemed only to irk the Black Ferns, and Kendra Cocksedge was sent to the bin for illegally impeding Lydia Thompson from scampering over in the corner. A penalty try ensured England were three scores to the good before Cokayne burrowed over again before half-time.
After the break, Infante skipped over the line, while Abby Dow left Portia Woodman, one of the icons of the women’s game, for dead down the wing. Lark Davies also added to the rout.
For New Zealand, alarm bells will be ringing. With less than a year to go until they defend the World Cup in their own back yard, they have a mountain to climb if they want to
get anywhere close to England’s superiority – not to mention getting their youngsters up to speed. Glenn Moore, their head coach, used this occasion to blood five more debutantes to add to the handful who had their first run-out last week.
Woodman, their talismanic winger, was their biggest threat. She was eventually rewarded with two consolation tries and did brilliantly to haul down Infante as she was charging towards the line. Stacey Fluhler also crossed late on.
It was enough to trouble Middleton, who played down his side’s status as favourites for next year’s World Cup, insisting that there will be no room for complacency.
“You take glimpses of their best
play today – that’s what they’ll be next year,” he said of New Zealand. “How they finished the game, that’s what they’ll take away. They’ll leave and they’ll go, ‘This is what we’re capable of ’.”
Scores 5-0 Cokayne cry, 7-0 Harrison con, 12-0 Kildunne try, 14-0 Harrison con, 21-0 penalty try, 26-0 Cokayne try, 28-0 Harrison con, 33-0 Cokayne try, 35-0 Harrison con, 35-5 Woodman try, 40-5 Infante try, 42-5 Harrison con, 47-5 Davies try, 49-5 Harrison con, 49-10 Fluhler try, 54-10 Dow try, 56-10 Harrison con, 56-15 Woodman try.
England E Kildunne (S Mckenna 62); L Thompson, H Aitchison, H Rowland, A Dow; Z Harrison, L Infante; V Cornborough (H Botterman 55), A Cokayne (L Davies 55), S Bern (M Muir 62), Z Aldcroft, A Ward, A Matthews, M Packer (S Hunter 60), P Cleall. Yellow card Mckenna.
New Zealand C Robins-reti; P Woodman, S Fluhler, G Brooker (P Maliepo 23), A Let-l’iga; R Demant, K Cocksedge; P Love, G Houpapa-barrett (T Kura Ngata-aerengamate 60) A Pearl-nelson (A Rule 60), J Ngan-woo, K Wills, A Bremner (M Roos 66), L Elder, L Mikaele-tu’u. Yellow card Cocksedge.
Referee Aurelie Groizeleau (France).