RED CARD ‘WAS NOT REASON’ ENGLAND BLEW IT

SARAH HUNTER has refused to lay blame with Lydia Thompson for the Red Roses’ World Cup final defeat by New Zealand.

Thompson was sent off after just 18 minutes for a high tackle and England went on to suffer their first defeat for three years in the biggest game of their lives.

“Lydia is hurting,” said the England captain, facing up to the end of her own World Cup career. “In moments like this we need to come round her.

“That wasn’t the reason we lost. We are a team as one. We won’t point any fingers. We’ve got her back, we’ll look after her, we’ll make sure she’s alright.”

The red card was decisive as without it England (above) would have kicked a lastgasp penalty to force extratime. Knowing that would only give them another half an hour with 14 players they opted to win it from a lineout and blew the chance.

Head coach Simon Middleton admitted he would never get over losing in front of a world-record 42,579 crowd. “But you live with it, don’t you?” he said. “There are worse things that go on in life.” Middleton returns home facing calls for his head from 2014 World Cup winner Nolli Waterman. The former Red Roses star said: “There needs to be a change. Changing it up is a massive positive because it will inspire a different thought process.”