England's Women Face Final Disappointment

Other Finals Day Games

The IRB Reception and Dinner

Over the last two weeks, culminating in a massive finals day involving their respective country's national squads, some of the finest athletes in the world assembled and competed for the highest honours in their chosen sport. You may not have read about it and you may not have known even that it was taking place. Not, that is, if you depend upon the British press for your information. The event was the Women's Rugby World Cup, organised by the International Rugby Board, which took place in and around Barcelona.

The Times was one of the few newspapers to feature a report on the Final with an informative and perceptive article by Alison Kervin in Barcelona. She made the telling point that the team running out the winners on the day, New Zealand's Black Ferns, were able to hold on to the trophy (last won in Amsterdam), for the simple reason that the rugby establishment in New Zealand had come together in support of the national woman's squad. Further that the New Zealand media regards the woman's game seriously and the final had been transmitted live even though screened at 3am local time. The England Women, their opponents in a pulsating final at the end of a blazing hot and energy-sapping day were distraught at losing. Their tears in defeat providing the evidence, if any were needed, of their dedication and ambition and the destruction of their hopes. No English supporter in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium was unmoved by the result and one photographer in particular was uncharacteristically tearful.

New Zealand had come with a steely determination to win, at any cost one might say. Two high tackles on the Player of the match for England, Selena Rudge, wrenched the head back in a way that would have led to a penalty and a probable yellow card at least in men's rugby. The pre-match period had seen England go through their usual warm-up routine in a shady part of the hot stadium, but the Black Ferns were nowhere to be seen until the national anthems and then explosively the haka - their statement of intent.

England had started the game well and their young standoff, Shelley Rae opened the scoring from a penalty kick, she was to later add a further penalty and then a well-taken drop goal. As the end of the first half approached, England were narrowly in the lead by nine points to six, but then was to come the sin-binning of England's Amy Garnett and in her absence the lack of cover around the blind side of the England scrum led to the Black Fern's standoff, Hirovanaa scoring on the stroke of half time, allowing them to go in to the changing room leading by eleven points to England's nine. Although the England team's confidence was high at the start of the second half with the game very much there for the winning, in retrospect, that try was the critical turning point in the game. Thereafter, when opportunities to run the ball were presented to the England team, they opted instead for penalties, a telling comment on their deteriorating confidence as the New Zealand team tightened their stranglehold, literally, on the England centres.

The Black Ferns powerful defence had not given away a try throughout the tournament and England's nine points at half time was to be their final tally. England, their line-out play in disarray against the now dominant New Zealand side conceded a further try and then a penalty, making the final score New Zealand nineteen points England nine.
For New Zealand and their travelling support, "We are the Champions" rang round the stadium. England admirably setting aside their tears applauded their supporters, while their supporters in turn rose to sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot".

England finalists in every World Cup to date will have been devastated by this loss but the attitude and demeanour of the players after the game bodes well for the future and in terms of character there is no doubt who the champions really are and the future for the women's game is bright for England while Geoff Richards is able to keep together such an ambitious, dedicated and exhilarating squad. Now all that has to happen is for the RFU and particularly the English media to promote and support their team in the way in which New Zealand support their's.