England’s training camp went well, then. The Red Roses were fluent and efficient in scoring 15 tries as they steamrollered Spain in their first warmup match for the Women’s Rugby World Cup. They also displayed composure and good decision-making in their biggest ever win against these opponents, qualities that will be paramount for this vastly talented squad when the tournament begins.
On the downside the starting captain, Marlie Packer, was shown a red card for a reckless second-half tackle – an unhappy end to an outstanding individual performance by the openside – and the visiting full-back Claudia Peña got Spain on the scoreboard with a sniping second-half finish.
Aside from that it was a exercise in dogged defending for the visitors, and an afternoon for England to fine-tune attacking combinations. Helena Rowland, starting on the wing for England for the first time, scored a hat-trick while the prop Sarah Bern crossed twice in a dominant display.
After nine weeks in training camp, including warm-weather practice in Treviso, it was possibly the worst time for Spain to face John Mitchell’s supremely powerful side, who looked better-conditioned than ever. England will be tested more significantly next weekend, when they travel to face France, the second and final warmup before facing the USA at the Stadium of Light on 22 August.
It was neat that the Lionesses defeated Spain to win Women’s Euro 2025 under a week ago, the baton now passing to the Red Roses. At the conclusion of the pre-match warmup, England’s squad disappeared down the tunnel to a cacophony of support: it was not fans but a group of fellow England players, including Ellie Kildunne and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, doing the cheering. Whatever obstacles that may appear over the the next two months – and they will naturally expect to contest the final on 27 September – team spirit will not be a problem.
Injuries certainly will be, and on Thursday the head coach was forced into two changes soon after naming his XV, with Rosie Galligan and Hollie Aitchison sidelined by shoulder and ankle niggles respectively. Mitchell brought in Abbie Ward to the second row, with Tatyana Heard on the bench.
England had tried to move the ball wide a couple of times early on, before straight down the middle proved more effective. Lucy Packer and Lilli Ives Campion both got hands on the ball before Maddie Feaunati applied the finish for the first try after five minutes. England’s fourth try, scored by Jess Breach who skipped away from the cover on the left wing after a sweeping move, was the pick of the seven tries they scored before the break, when the score stood at 43-0.
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It was, predictably, one-way traffic apart from when Spain managed to rumble a maul over England’s try-line, that was held up by some smart defensive work. England, playing in black, kept the physical pressure on and the passes continued to fizz against a tiring Spain.
Rowland sealed her hat-trick after44 minutes and Mitchell emptied his bench, with Hannah Botterman among the replacements to cross the try-line. Packer’s red card came just after the hour mark, for an inexplicable lunge on Pẽna, but eight well-worked tries in the second half were some consolation, Megan Jones rounding off the scoring on the stroke of full time. A promising afternoon’s work before the challenge that lies ahead.
