England may have dominated the Women’s Six Nations and claimed an unprecedented third successive Grand Slam along the way, but for their captain Catherine Spencer the game has a bright future not only at home but also across Europe.
The champions scored 213 points and conceded only 18 – including two tries – across their five matches, beating Wales 55-0 at home, Italy 76-6, France 31-0 and Scotland 34-5 on the road before returning to Sunbury to defeat Ireland 17-7 on the final weekend.
“It was absolutely fantastic. At the beginning of the tournament I wouldn’t lie and say it [Grand Slam] wasn’t in the back of our minds, but we really tried not to think about it and took every game as it came,” Spencer told Total Rugby.
“But to get to the end of the game and realise what we had achieved, no team in history, men’s or women’s, has achieved this, so it is absolutely fantastic. The girls put in great performances all the way through the tournament.”
It would be easy to look at England’s winning margins and say that the divide between the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 finalists and the other nations in Europe is growing, but number 8 Spencer isn’t so convinced that this is the case.
“Perhaps [England are pulling away] from some teams, but the last game we had against Ireland was the closest game we have had against them for years. I have played them four or five times and that was the best performance that I have ever been on the receiving end from them.
“I think they are doing really well and that is what we need closer to home, we need some tougher matches like that. Obviously we had some big score lines against Italy and Wales, but then Wales came back to end the tournament really strongly, beating France in their last game. England I think we are actually improving, but some of the other nations are really putting in some good performances too.”
Milestone win for Italy bodes well for future
England’s Grand Slam achievement grabbed the headlines, but the final weekend of the Championship also proved one to remember for Italy with their first ever Women’s Six Nations victory coming at the 10th attempt with a 31-10 defeat of Scotland.
“When we first played Italy last year at Twickenham I thought they put in a really strong performance and if I am honest I thought our game against them this year was going to be closer,” admitted Spencer.
“But I am really pleased they put in that performance against Scotland and got the win that I think they do deserve. They have been very professional and obviously are a good side and deserve their place in the Six Nations.
“I think it is going really well for the future. From when I started 20 years ago in mini rugby, the difference between now and then is phenomenal. There are so many more youngsters playing, there are girls playing in schools, there are girls playing mini rugby at their local clubs.
“The amount of actual senior clubs is increasing all the time and I think it is only going one way and that is getting stronger. All the time the performance level at the higher end is also increasing and the skill level and talent within the game is getting better year on year.”
That said throughout the Women’s Six Nations campaign the New Zealand Black Ferns who beat England in the World Cup final two years ago were never far from the minds of Spencer and her team-mates.
“We’re lucky enough to have this regular Six Nations tournament, but when we are playing in these tournaments they are in the back of our minds and especially for myself having experienced the loss against them in the World Cup final. It is something you always think on and you say you put it away out of your mind, but it is always there.”
