England to meet France in another Women’s Rugby World Cup semifinal
England swamped Scotland and France edged Ireland to produce another Women’s Rugby World Cup semifinal on Sunday.
England beat Scotland 40-8 in rainy Bristol after France won 18-13 from 13-0 down in its wet and windy quarterfinal in Exeter.
The English stay in Bristol for the semifinal next Saturday. New Zealand and Canada play the other semi there on Friday.
The Red Roses are the only team to reach the semifinals in all 10 World Cups. France has got there a ninth time but never beyond. England is on a 16-match winning streak against Les Bleues.
England’s 31st consecutive test victory eclipsed its own world record.
England 40 Scotland 8
The rain put a premium on the England pack’s effort and it delivered. Their carries, pressure on the Scottish set-piece and ruthless finishing put them out of sight by halftime at 26-3.
Captain Zoe Aldcroft returned from a knee injury for her first game in three weeks, Holly Aitchison was England’s third starting flyhalf in the tournament, Helena Rowland was at fullback for the injured Ellie Kildunne, and England still purred.
Prop Kelsey Clifford, playing after back spasms sidelined Hannah Botterman, crashed over for her second double in two matches, and lock Morwenna Talling scored after Scotland failed to control a lineout tap down.
The fourth try of the first half was winger Abby Dow’s 50th from a pass by Aitchison.
The game was untidier in the second half as England blew chances in front of a crowd of 25,295, but hooker Amy Cokayne scored her 11th World Cup try from a lineout maul and Aitchison touched down for a 14-point haul.
Scotland was consoled in its first quarterfinal in 27 years after the fulltime hooter by a breakout from Francesca McGhie that was finished by Rhona Lloyd; it was the first try England has conceded in the second half at this World Cup.
But Scotland succumbed to a 28th straight loss to England since its last win in 1999.
France 18 Ireland 13
France captain Manaé Feleu spoiled Ireland’s last-chance lineout and sent her team into the semifinals.
Two last-minute penalties gave Ireland a throw-in five meters from the try-line with the French short a woman; Alexandra Chambon was in the sin-bin.
France gambled on lifting players instead of bracing for a maul and Feleu, at the front, got finger-tips to the throw-in to knock on the ball and end the nerve-wracking finale.
The French were pushed to the brink by a tenacious Irish side playing their first knockout match in 11 years.
“We’re heartbroken,” Ireland captain Sam Monaghan said. “It went to the death. We took them to a dark place. It was in our hands.”
While the French defense prevailed at the end, their try-line stand to close the first half was even more incredible.
Ireland had first use of what Sandy Park veterans predicted was a 15-point wind and was 13-0 up but desperate for a possibly decisive third try.
Feleu was in the sin-bin for collapsing a 20-meter rolling maul. But somehow her 14 teammates repelled 35 phases by the Irish that lasted for four edge-of-the-seat minutes.
“Super proud,” Feleu said. “We knew it was going to be hard in the conditions. We just needed to be patient (in the first half), put our heads down and defend. We showed a great spirit. Our defense is really part of our team values.”
Ireland got tries by prop Linda Djougang and fullback Stacey Flood, playing on a stitched right foot cut to the bone last weekend against New Zealand. Dannah O’Brien’s only successful goalkick in three attempts made it 13-0.
But it didn’t appear enough in the conditions, especially having spent 80% of the half on French turf, which accounted for the desperation before the interval.
Morgane Bourgeois began France’s comeback with a penalty kick and conversion to a try by No. 8 Charlotte Escudero to trail by three.
Two huge turnovers by replacement hooker Manon Bigot, a 35-year-old firefighter, led to right wing Joanna Grisez’s 12th try in 12 tests and fourth in the World Cup, and Bourgeois’ second penalty kick for 18-13 with five tense minutes to go.
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
By FOSTER NIUMATA
Associated Press
