Women’s Six Nations 2022: England win fourth consecutive title and Grand Slam

England proved their whole dominance of the world recreation as they received a fourth consecutive Ladies’s Six Nations title with a Grand Slam victory in France.

However their maul was a formidable weapon with two Sarah Bern and one Abbie Ward tries for a 21-7 lead at half-time.

Annaelle Deshayes’ 66th-minute attempt gave the vocal followers hope, earlier than England held on for his or her twenty third win in a row.

That run equals England’s finest – set between 1992-97 – they usually have now received 10 consecutive video games towards France, who can be their World Cup pool opponents in October.

After report wins towards the Black Ferns within the autumn, this victory locations England as agency favourites for the showpiece in New Zealand.

England regroup as ambiance boils over

The French entrance pages on Saturday morning promised issues would boil over in Bayonne and even in the course of the warm-up the ambiance at Stade Jean Dauger – bought out greater than a month earlier than the sport – didn’t disappoint.

The chants of ‘Allez Les Bleus’ began early as the gang cheered France’s arrival and booed England earlier than they headed again down the tunnel.

In the course of the week, England had acknowledged their intention to silence the gang. That message evidently didn’t attain the resident brass band and when Zoe Harrison dropped a excessive ball behind her tryline there was an eruption of noise because the knock-on gave France a 5m scrum.

Quantity eight Menager sniped by means of a niche for the inevitable rating to place England behind – one thing they’d not but skilled this match.

For the primary time since 2021’s Six Nations ultimate towards France, England had been rattled. The Purple Roses’ superstars settled their nerves as Poppy Cleall made a stable carry and Helena Rowland adopted it up with a classy 50:22 kick.

England had struggled up entrance towards France final 12 months however now the rolling maul – formed by forwards coach Louis Deacon – is their brightest star of all.

France provided defiant resistance initially however the pack of white shirts ultimately rumbled over the tryline for Bern’s first rating.

The second attempt was a mirror picture shortly after as Harrison kicked to the opposite nook and Ward went over within the maul.

The skilled Purple Roses are accustomed to retaining maintain of momentum as soon as they earn it, however France would by no means permit that on their very own soil.

England wing Lydia Thompson dropped a excessive ball into contact and depth grew as the gang clapped to the beat of a drum earlier than world participant of the 12 months Zoe Aldcroft stole the line-out to take all the stress out of the air.

Thompson swiftly made amends with an unimaginable run that received England again into France’s 22, and a penalty kicked to the nook meant their maul received the job accomplished once more as Bern claimed a second.

French strain quickly mounted once more because the blue maul bit again, however stopped quick as England got here dangerously near a yellow card and a penalty attempt earlier than Infante pounced on a free ball and Harrison cleared their strains.

The aid didn’t final lengthy and England’s defence scrambled till ultimately the clock went pink they usually took the possibility to regroup at half-time.

Extra to comply with.

Line-ups

England: Rowland; Thompson, Scarratt (capt), Aitchison, Breach; Harrison, Infante; Cornborough, Davies, Bern, Aldcroft, Ward, Matthews, Packer, Cleall.

Replacements: Cokayne, Botterman, Muir, Galligan, Beckett, Kabeya, Hunt, Kildunne.

France: Jacquet; Boujard, Filopon, Vernier, M Menager; Drouin, Sansus; Deshayes, Sochat, Joyeux, Fall, Forlani, Ferer, Hermet (capt), R Menager.

Replacements: Touye, Lindelhauf, Brosseau, Annery, Gros, Chambon, Tremouliere, Boulard.