Black Ferns ruin Clark’s big day
ENGLAND loosehead Rochelle Clark became the most-capped woman of alltime but it was New Zealand who clinched a narrow win at the Stoop yesterday.
Clark, 35, came on in the 55th minute to a standing ovation for her 116th Test cap and surpassed her coach at Worcester Valkyries Donna Kennedy.
The Red Roses made a terrific start and scored three tries in total through Fiona Pocock, Harriet Millar-Mills and Lydia Thompson.
New Zealand led 7-5 at the break and, despite falling 17-7 behind on the hour, managed to hang on thanks to Kendra Cocksedge who scored two tries, one conversions and two penalties in the last 14 minutes.
England took the lead in the first minute of the match when Thompson made a marauding run from her own half but was dragged down in New Zealand’s 22.
The ball was recycled quickly and Danielle Waterman drew the player in and gave it to Pocock who evaded several tackles to sprint into the corner.
The momentum was with the Red Roses as Charmaine Smith was sent to the sin bin for pulling a rolling maul down, but they they went in at half-time 7-5 down after Renee Wickliffe’s try, and Cocksedge’s conversion sailed through the uprights.
The Red Roses came out firing in the second period too, Marlie Packer ran an incredible line to break through the New Zealand defence, but when she attempted to kick through she was blocked off by Selica Winiata who was shown a yellow card.
England went to the corner and from the resulting line out, their catch and drive rolled over the line and Millar-Mills emerged with the ball. It was England’s fourth driving maul try in the space of three games.
And they put more points on the board with Winiata off the field when the ball was spread wide to Packer again. She charged into the New Zealand half, drew the final player and Thompson showed a clean pair of heels to cross the whitewash.
On the hour mark the Black Ferns began their comeback as 2015 World Rugby Player of the Year Cocksedge darted over from five metres to narrow the deficit to five points
The Black Ferns came again and again, and with 14 minutes left Cocksedge showed fantastic awareness to put the ball down, and she kicked the tricky conversion from out wide to put her side two points ahead.
Scarratt and Cocksedge traded penalties as the game headed into the final stages, however Cocksedge kicked a penalty two minutes from time to put her team out of sight.