The England Women’s Rugby League side sealed an impressive 2-0 series victory over France yesterday when they came through the second Test between the sides in Avignon with a comfortable 56-6 score line.

The side won the first Test 40-6 on Saturday and coach Anthony Sullivan will have been pleased to see his side up their level and put in another commanding performance to secure an emphatic series win.

It took only two minutes for England to get off the mark when second row Holly Freestone crossed the line to score the game’s opening try and there was further delight for the team when full-back Rachel Twibill grasped her opportunity and doubled the try tally after only four minutes. Captain Natalie Gilmour converted both tries to give England an early 12-0 lead.

England were in firm control of the game and proved too strong in defence for the French and they extended their lead when Gilmour touched down for her first try of the series on the 15 minute mark. The experienced centre converted her own try to take the score to a comfortable looking 18-0. 

Further tries from centre Jodie Cunningham and half-back Joanne Watmour which came inside the final moments of the half ensured the tourists went into the interval with a commanding 28-0 lead as France struggled to deal with England’s potent attack.

Having scored three tries in the opening fifteen minutes of the first half, England repeated that feat in the second half with both Twibill and Watmour doubling their personal tallies for the game after interchange Danielle Bose got on the score sheet only seconds after kick-off. A try for France on the 46 minute mark proved to be a mere consolation for the hosts.

With the score line reading 42-6 in favour of England going into the final 20 minutes, the team upped their level once again and cruised through to the final whistle scoring three more tries courtesy of Kim Field, joint-captain Beth Sutcliffe and Freestone, who grabbed her second of the game in the dying moments to complete an impressive 11 try romp.

England Women Match Day Squad:

1- Rachel Twibill (Bradford Thunderbirds)
2- Danielle Titterington (Featherstone Rovers)
3- Jodie Cunningham (Warrington)
4- Natalie Gilmour (Captain) (Featherstone Rovers)
5- Hannah Bairstow (Hunslet Hawks, Featherstone Rovers)
6- Joanne Watmore (Warrington)
7- Kirsty Moroney (Bradford Thunderbirds)
8- Emma Slowe (Featherstone Rovers)
9- Lois Forsell (Hunslet Hawks)
10- Amanda Donaldson (Copeland Wildcats, Warrington)
11- Beth Sutcliffe (Captain) (Warrington)
12- Holly Freestone (Copeland Wildcats, Warrington)
13- Emily Rudge (Warrington)
14- Danielle Bose (Bradford Thunderbirds)
15- Clare Robinson (Warrington)
16- Rebecca Williams (Nottingham Outlaws)
17- Kim Field (Featherstone Rovers)

Tries: Freestone 2, Twibill 2, Gilmour, Cunningham, Watmour 2, Bose, Field, Sutcliffe

Goals: Gilmour 6