England Women crowned Amsterdam 7s Champions

England Women were crowned champions of the Amsterdam 7s today (Sunday) after an impressive run in their first tournament of the season.

Simon Amor’s side defeated their arch rivals the New Zealand Aotearoa Maoris in the championship final 24-5, reversing an earlier defeat they had suffered in the pool stages of the competition.

England, who will also play New Zealand in the London Emirates Airline 7s in a week’s time at Twickenham, ran in four tries to New Zealand’s sole touchdown to clinch the championship win. Clifton’s Danielle Waterman claimed a brace of tries, with former England captain Jo Yapp and Heather Fisher also scoring a try. Saracens’ Rachel Burford added two conversions.

England 7s Head Coach Amor, a former England 7s captain himself, said: “The team have been sensational. They have performed so well and I am very proud of them. Playing nine games in two days is a big ask, but the players have come through it fantastically well.

“Next up we have got the London Emirates Airline 7s against New Zealand next weekend and that is going to be a massive occasion and challenge, but one we are relishing as we look to build on our sevens campaign this season and ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup 7s.”

England booked their place in the final after cruising through Saturday’s pool stages, winning four games and scoring 226 points along the way.

On Sunday they finished second in their pool after beating an international invitational team called Susie's Valkyries 47-0 and Canada 26-0. England then suffered a 21-7 defeat at the hands of New Zealand, giving them a semi-final clash against the USA, who were seeded second after the second round of pool games.

England rose to the challenge and grinded out a 14-5 win thanks to tries by Richmond’s Emma Layland and Saracens’ Charlotte Barras and thereby booking their place in the final.

England results:

Day Two Pool Games

England 47 Susie's Valkyries 0
Tries: Waterman (3), Marsh, Day (2), Burford
Conversions: Burford (6)

England 26 Canada 0
Tries: Barras, Staniford (2), Waterman
Conversions: Richardson (3)

England 7 New Zealand 21
Tries: Barras
Conversions: Burford

Semi-Finals
England 14 USA 5
Tries: Layland, Barras
Conversions: Burford, Richardson

Final
England 24 New Zealand Aotearoa Maoris 5
Tries: Waterman (2), Yapp, Fisher
Conversions: Burford (2)

Amsterdam Sevens squad

Claire Allan Saracens
Charlotte Barras Saracens
Rachael Burford Saracens
Susan Day Wasps (captain)
Heather Fisher Wasps
Sonia Green Saracens
Emma Layland Richmond
Sarah Marsh Wasps
Alice Richardson Richmond
Michaela Staniford Wasps
Danielle Waterman Clifton
Joanne Yapp Worcester

by Julia Hutton
May 18th, 2008