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ENGLAND WOMEN were again undone by the Wooden Spoons on Saturday when they met in the final of the West Country 7s at Keynsham Rugby Club.

Despite crossing the line four times England lost 7-5 in a game where everything but luck was on their side.

England dominated possession but Danielle Waterman’s try was the only one that stood after the girls in white were held up twice and knocked on once.

It was the Spoons who denied England victory 14-7 in the final of Rugby Rocks two weeks ago but the gap is closing and Head Coach, Barry Maddocks has much to be pleased about.

“The result today shows that we have taken another very big stride forward,” said Maddocks.

“If we had taken points each time we’d crossed the line, it would have been a good victory against the Spoons. We are inevitably disappointed but we are certainly going in the right direction.”

England kept a clean sheet in the group stage and topped their pool with three convincing wins over the Shamrock Warriors (29-0), Quin Warrior Ladies (56-0) and the Akuma Dragons (42-0) who joined the group after the withdrawal of the Eggcatcher Ladies.

Another impressive result followed in the semi finals with a 47-5 win over the Flamingos. Ruth Laybourn and Sophie Nicholas, who had earlier scored four and three times respectively against Quin Warrior Ladies, were again on the score sheet with Laybourn scoring and converting twice.

Sarah Guest, Lydia Thompson, Michaela Staniford and Heather Fisher added the remaining four tries to send England through to the final.

England 7s: Natasha Brennan (Wasps), Jenny Brightmore (Worcester), Heather Fisher (Worcester), Sonia Green (Saracens), Sarah Guest (Worcester), Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), Ruth Laybourn (Leo Ladies), Sophie Nicholas (Lichfield), Alice Richardson (Richmond), Michaela Staniford (Wasps), Lydia Thompson (Worcester), Danielle Waterman (Worcester)

Pool Results

England 29 – 0 Shamrock Warrior Ladies

Tries: Waterman (2), Green, Thompson, Hunt; Cons: Hunt (2)

England 56 – 0 Quin Warrior Ladies

Tries: Nicholas (4), Laybourn (3), Richardson; Cons: Nicholas (4), Laybourn (3), Richardson

England 42 – 0 Akuma Dragons

Tries: Waterman (2), Laybourn, Green, Fisher, Brightmore; Cons: Richardson (4), Hunt (2)

Semi-Final

England 47 – 5 Flamingos

Laybourn (2), Guest, Thompson, Staniford, Nicholas, Fisher; Cons: Hunt (4), Laybourn (2)

Final

England 5 – 7 Wooden Spoons

Tries: Waterman