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ENGLAND WOMEN were denied glory by the Wooden Spoons in today’s Rugby Rocks sevens final at Richmond Athletic Ground.

A second half fightback could not overhaul a 14-0 halftime deficit and Natasha Hunt’s try and conversion was not enough as they went down 14-7.

But coach Barry Maddocks, whose side had lost 22-0 to the Spoons in their pool match, was far from downbeat, saying: “This is a first step, a building block for what is a young squad. We are naturally disappointed but they learnt a lot from that pool game against the Spoons and it was a close final.”

England now move on to West Country Sevens at Keynsham in two weeks buoyed by some impressive wins in West London over the Pink Baa-Baas (33-5), Saracens (35-0) and Sweden (27-0) in the semi-final.

With Claire Allan a late precautionary withdrawal from her home club venue with a slight hamstring injury, Kat Merchant stepped in.

And the spare time bass guitarist did not disappoint, pulling the strings with two tries against the Baa-Baas and Charlotte Keane, Sonia Green and Lydia Thompson also crossing.

Thompson grabbed a brace of tries against Saracens with Keane, Ruth Laybourn and Merchant also chipping in.

The Spoons’ experienced international Rachael Burford proved their undoing in the final pool game, scoring twice along with fellow Sevens internationals Abi Chamberlain and Sarah Guest.

But England made amends in the semi-final with a five-try victory over Sweden that saw Keane, Thompson, Merchant, Hunt and Michaela Staniford all on the scoresheet.

England 7s: Natasha Brennan (Wasps), Jenny Brightmore (Worcester), Sonia Green (Saracens), Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), Charlotte Keane (Worcester/Hartpury College), Ruth Laybourn (Leo Ladies), Kat Merchant (Worcester), Sophie Nicholas (Lichfield), Michaela Staniford (Wasps), Lydia Thompson (Worcester), Sally Tuson (Bristol), Charlotte Wild (Lichfield)

Pool results
England 33 Pink Baa-Baas 5
Tries: Merchant (2), Keane, Green, Thompson; Cons: Keane (3), Hunt

England 35 Saracens 0
Tries: Thompson (2), Keane, Layborn, Merchant; Cons: Keane (2), Hunt (2), Green.

England 0 Wooden Spoons 22
Wooden Spoons – Tries: Burford (2), Chamberlain, Guest; Con: Burford

Semi-final
England 27 Sweden 0
Tries: Keane, Thompson, Merchant, Hunt, Staniford; Con: Keane

Final
England 7 Wooden Spoons 14
Wooden Spoons – Tries: Chamberlain, Ulmer; Cons: Chamberlain (2)
England: Hunt; Con: Keane