England Women U20s crowned Nations Cup Champions

England Women Under 20s ran in a cricket score victory against the USA today (Saturday), scoring 18 tries to lift the Nations Cup crown at Brunel University.

England Women Under 20s ran in a cricket score victory against the USA today (Saturday), scoring 18 tries to lift the Nations Cup crown at Brunel University.

Worcester's Sam Bree showed her speed and skill to run in an impressive six tries, handing her a total of 11 tries throughout the tournament while Nicola Hoole, Sarah McKenna and Rose Fong also grabbed a brace of tries each. Leeds fly half Claire Garner also had a great afternoon with the boot stroking over ten conversions.

England Head Coach Giselle Mather said: "I am so proud of the girls and the way they have played throughout this tournament. They have trained hard and they set themselves a target of not being complacent against the USA having already beaten them last week in the pool games. They certainly weren't complacent.

"The players moved the ball around extremely well today, they kept the ball alive and delivered everything that was asked of them. Sam Bree scored six tries, outstripping the defence, but it was the pace of the whole team throughout this tournament that kept us moving forward all the time.

"It's wonderful to have won the Nations Cup, and to do it for a second successive year is very special for every member of this Under 20s squad."

Bree set the tone of the game with England's opening try after just four minutes. An excellent line-out ball and some quick hands through the mid-field saw Bath centre Natasha Hunt make a good break. Bree then took the ball on and showed her pace to outstrip America's defence and score under the posts. Garner converted.

Bath's Hoole touched down for the first of her two tries after 13 minutes, closely followed by McKenna's 15th minute effort which saw her take an intercept ball and run in from ten metres out. Again Garner converted to hand England a 21-0 lead.

Bree's second and third tries came in quick succession on 18 and 21 minutes before Hoole claimed her brace when skipper Marlie Packer took some good line-out ball and then Hoole drove over the line. With Harriet Mills adding a 37th minute try England led 43-0 at the break.

The one way traffic continued after the restart with the USA unable to find a response to England's dominance. This time Lizell Heather crossed after just one minute, before Fong added the first of her two tries with Mills providing the crucial pass.

McKenna added a good individual try on 47 minutes to take England into a comfortable 60-0 lead, with Hunt then immediately scoring after the restart from the back of a ruck.

Richmond prop Vicky Cornborough scored after a good break by England in the mid-field when she was in support, before Bree then found herself back in the thick of the scoring action with a 65th minute try.

With just ten minutes remaining England's pressure remained relentless and they were again rewarded for their efforts with Charlotte Wild, Bree (2), Fong and Garnet Mackinder all touching down, leaving England to celebrate their impressive 110-0 victory.

In the third and fourth place play-offs Canada were victorious over Wales with a hard fought 12-10 victory.

England:

15 Lizell Heather (Kettering), 14 Natasha Hunt (Bath), 13 Rose Fong (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 12 Sarah McKenna ( Old Albanian Saints), 11 Sam Bree ( Worcester), 10 Claire Garner ( Leeds Leos), 9 Jessie Flowers (West Park), 1 Victoria Cornborough(Richmond), 2 Davinia Monteiro (Bath), 3 Charlotte Male ( Bristol), 4 Juliet Short ( Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 5 Harriet Mills ( Manchester), 6 Marlie Packer Captain(Bath), 7 Hannah Field (Reading), 8 Nicola Hoole (Bath).

Replacements:: 16 Elizabeth Peak (Oakmedians), 17 Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield), 18 Charlotte Wild (Leeds Met Uni), 19 Amy Millar (Reading), 20 Hannah Walker-Smart ( Paviors), 21 Gemma Rowland (Exeter University), 22 Garnet Mackinder (Exeter Saracens)

Tries: Bree (6), Hoole (2), McKenna (2), Mills, Heather, Fong (2), Hunt, Cornborough, Wild, Mackinder
Conversions: Garner (10)
Penalties:
Substitutions: Wild for Field (blood, 11), Field for Wild (blood reverse 16), Peak for Male (blood, 27), Male for Peak (blood reverse, 27), Peak for Male (44), Wild for Short (44), Fleetwood for Monterio (44), McKinder for Heather (52), Millar for Mills (52), Walker-Smart for Flowers (58), Rowland for McKenna (58).

Half time score: England 43 USA 0

Referee: Sarah Corrigan (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Rebecca Patrick & Hannah Everitt