England vs New Zealand LIVE: Result, final score and reaction from womens rugby Test today – The Independent

Lydia Thompson in action for England

(Reuters)

England will attempt to complete a double over New Zealand when the two sides meet for the second time in as many weeks this Sunday. Simon Middletons side completed a spectacular seven-try rout of the world champions last week at Sandy Park, with Abbie Ward, Ellie Kildunne, Lark Davies, debutant Holly Aitchison, Abby Dow and Zoe Harrison all crossing the line in a 43-12 victory.

Weve got them next week as well. We cant get complacent. We need to look what we can do better for next week, Harrison told BBC Sport after the victory. Today we were really looking at ourselves. Even in the Six Nations weve been looking towards the World Cup.

Follow all the live action below.

The Black Ferns next head for France for two meetings with the second best team in the Northern Hempishere. It should be a useful gauge of where this New Zealand side actually are, surely stung by being so uncompetitive in back-to-back weeks, but with a grounding of Test rugby behind them.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:53

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:39

Simon Middleton told The Independent before these two games with New Zealand that these encounters were as much about what the two sides learn about each other ahead of next years World Cup than the results themselves. You would think, then, that Middleton will be rather pleased with the learning that his side are simply in a different stratosphere to the reigning world champions on this evidence, utterly dominant across 160 minutes of largely one-sided rugby.

Eight tries this week and another performance of all-encompassing excellence from the Red Roses, and the Black Ferns have been dealt back-to-back record defeats.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:39

(Getty Images)

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:36

Has Portia Woodman scored her second? She has!

A remarkable finish from Woodman, somehow surviving Sarah McKennas tackle and the efforts of an arriving Lydia Thompson to squeeze over. She had been set away by fellow Olympic gold medallist Stacey Fluhler, bursting through a rarely-sighted midfield chasm and producing a delicious lofted pass to put Woodman in space.

The conversion isnt there, and thatll do for an excellent afternoon for England.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:35

No stopping Abby Dow this time! The ball slips free from Black Ferns hands inside the England half and Poppy Cleall is swiftly upon it, putting the ball in the hands of her faster teammate and asking her to set off for home.

A fierce fend, a speedy sprint, and Dow takes England beyond the half-century.

Zoe Harrison is again true from the tee - she hasnt looked like missing today.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:33

New Zealand try mightily to find a fissure in the England defensive line and a third score but fail to do so, not aided by an untimely bang to scrum-half Bayler. Carla Hohepa is forced to rush a hacked kick and the Black Fern in front of her is offside as she collects the sliced effort. England penalty, and Sarah McKenna returns to restore them to 15.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:30

Helena Rowland receives some treatment as we wait for a scrum, while Aurelie Groizeleau has wandered over to the big screen to check something. The crowd cheers as the French referee smiles as her own image is shown on the screen...

Ah, heres the footage! A stray trip from Lagi Tuima as she brought a Black Fern to ground and England will be penalised. Curiously, there is no card for Tuima despite the offence. New Zealand take the scrum, anyway, so the players will pack down again with Ariana Bayler, who has replaced Kendra Cocksedge, able to feed it.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:28

More good attack from the Black Ferns, Stacey Fluhler with a lovely feinting inside-to-outside step, and Portia Woodman able to toss the ball inside as England, still without Sarah McKenna, of course, look short of players on the left.

But England just about get bodies across as Les Elder feeds infield and a stray pass is knocked on along the floor as Carla Hohepa cant quite get down low enough to catch the grass-trimmer.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:25

Claudia MacDonald has replaced the excellent Leanne Infante at scrum-half and awaits service from her forwards, but England cant claim possession and New Zealand are able to attack, eventually gaining scrum feed inside the England half, which the two sets of eight will pack down for after Cheyelle Robins-Reti has received some treatment.

Harry Latham-Coyle7 November 2021 16:23

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England vs New Zealand LIVE: Result, final score and reaction from womens rugby Test today - The Independent