Red Roses overpower Canada in Exeter
The Red Roses began their WXV preparations with a 50-24 win over Canada at Sandy Park.
- Red Roses: Tries - Rowland (2), Packer, Carson, Kildunne (2), L. Packer, Allen. Cons - Rowland (5)
- Canada: Tries - Pelletier, Beukeboom, Tuttosi, Grant. Cons - de Goede (2)
England scored eight tries in Exeter, Helena Rowland and Ellie Kildunne scoring two apiece while Marlie Packer, Mackenzie Carson, Lucy Packer and Maisy Allen also went over. Justine Pelletier, Tyson Beukeboom, Emily Tuttosi and Madison Grant crossed for the visitors, who will face England again next Saturday at StoneX Stadium.
It took England just two minutes to cross the whitewash as Rowland finished off an inventive move from the hosts. Holly Aitchison produced a precise cross-field kick that was gathered by Kildunne, who in turn found Abby Dow. She selflessly popped the ball up to Rowland to dot down before converting her own try.
Captain Packer extended the Red Roses’ lead as she grounded the ball from a trademark rolling maul before Rowland struck the right post with the conversion. Canada hit back through Pelletier, who dummied round the England defence to get the visitors on the board with Sophie de Goede converting.
Against her former side, Carson got England’s third, showing the carrying skills of the forward pack as she powered over having received the ball from her front-row partner Sarah Bern. Beukeboom responded again for Canada as the game at Sandy Park showed little signs of slowing down.
With 24 minutes gone, England had their fourth try as Kildunne earned a deserved score. The full back had been weaving her way around the Canada defence throughout and this time her silky footwork saw her round three defenders and dot down, leaving a routine conversion as England stretched their lead to 12 points.
Their advantage at half-time reached 19 points as Lucy Packer copied her opposite number Pelletier, putting in a dummy pass to open a gap in the defence and sliding through for the final score of the half.
Louis Deacon rang the changes for the Red Roses in the second half with replacement Connie Powell coming on and carrying England forward. She set up Kildunne, who got her second with more impressive movement before stretching to dot down on her way to the Player of the Match award.
England’s lead was reduced back to 19 points as Tuttosi and Grant dotted down before Maisy Allen came on for her first senior cap at the stadium where she plays her club rugby.
One of her Exeter Chiefs teammates created a moment of magic shortly afterwards, Claudia MacDonald just keeping herself on the right side of the touchline before passing to Rowland for her second try of the afternoon.
MacDonald was soon set away again down the right wing but was denied a score by Magali Harvey on her first appearance for five years.
Allen had the final word with a try on debut, powering over from a maul to see England reach their half century much to the delight of the 9,603 fans at Sandy Park.
