🔗 Share this article

The flowers are crimson, Scotland in blue, the tension is building, how will they do? The final result from a rain-drenched Bristol came as little surprise. When bookmakers start quoting prices of 1000-1 on for one side to win a lopsided contest, the chances of the English side not making it to the last four were roughly on a par with spectators suffering heatstroke.

With it came one more historic achievement for the squad led by Mitchell of consistent champions. No leading international rugby side in history had ever achieved 31 Tests in a row as the English women’s team have accomplished: 61 victories in their past 62 Tests offers scant opportunity for critics to doubt their heritage or killer instinct.

But could you risk your home on England hoisting the trophy in less than two weeks? This may depend on the exact amount of money involved and possible access to alternative financial resources. Yet would you truly? Instantly? Based on the performance of this match, even with the comfortable victory margin and difficult conditions, you may just be inclined to pause and reconsider.

Sure, Zoe Aldcroft’s comeback makes a big difference. What a totemic figure the team’s skipper has grown into. And, as ever, when England get within five metres of their rivals with ball in hand, fans anticipate eagerly. Scotland were wonderfully spirited and tirelessly determined, but the laws of physics cannot be ignored when powerful players with subterranean centres of gravity are queueing up to cross the try line.

Sometimes overlooked Morwenna Talling deserved her award for best on pitch, while Kelsey Clifford, in for the injured Hannah Botterman, also took her starting chance fully. Her two straightforward first-half scores likely thrilled everyone at her first club, Finchley RFC, where she was first introduced to rugby at the age of six. Then there is the speedy sensation Abby Dow, who notched her half-century of international tries and displayed her usual dash and energy.

Fewer than ten penalties on a miserable day was another relative plus. However, one must also consider must also be factored they didn’t nail due to persistent small errors, questionable decisions, and intermittent flow. On other days, against opponents with a sturdier set piece, the contest could have been appreciably tighter.

The coach believed his side had been unfairly handicapped by Scottish cynicism in the forwards, but the danger of complacency lurks around every corner. Can it be called progress, for example, for non-playing England players to be playing drums from the sidelines during a game? Wouldn’t it be better to focus more closely on the game and reserve such activities for afterwards? Alternatively, quietly take a few more lessons before “entertaining” the public further?

Of more immediate urgency is if the team is striking all the right on-field notes. This, for example, was Aitchison’s opportunity to start at No 10 and show her suitability to retain the jersey for crucial matches. She possesses great skill and converted most of her goals, but the team’s backs rarely connected as coaches had intended.

A highlight came after Aitchison had been shifted to the wing, sprinting through the center to register a neat try. But England typically opts for the physically assertive Tatyana Heard at center, paired with the consistently excellent Jones. Even after all the endless winning, it sometimes feels as if selection remains uncertain of their optimal starting XV.

Perhaps it’s irrelevant when Ellie Kildunne is back. Their powerful forwards and extraordinary strength in depth will overwhelm every challenger and the holy grail will be won for the first occasion in over a decade. Maybe the winners of Friday’s match between Canada and New Zealand will be crushed beneath the home side’s relentless advance. As Scotland’s impressive captain Rachel Malcolm rightly said, “They are the No 1 team in the world with justification.”

However, it’s possible rival teams still have a tiny sniff. When McGhie breached England’s defence in the closing stages to help set up the position from which Rhona Lloyd scored Scotland’s consolation try, the eyes of one or two Black Ferns would certainly have lit up. Scotland found success with tactical kicks into space and pressuring the English centers to retreat.

We shall find out soon enough. What remains clear is the Red Rose love in the stands. The venue was packed for this contest and will repeat for the next round. The title decider promises a monumental occasion, whatever the weather. And the bookies will not be deserting England just yet.