England seek third successive grand slam
David Hands , Rugby Correspondent
From Times Online February 29, 2008
If England's men seek an example of how to implement change and remain successful, the women's team offers itself for study. Over the course of the last year there has been a new coach, a new captain and changes aplenty as experienced individuals have retired, yet England remain on course for their third successive grand slam in the women's six nations.
Last weekend they overcame France, historically the highest hurdle in European rugby, 31-0 in Bergerac, having already taken the scalps of Wales (55-0) and Italy (76-6). "Some people will say that the title is now in the bag for us but, as far as we are concerned, we have won three games but we have not got any silverware to show for it," Gary Street, who took over as head coach from Geoff Richards last year, said.
The reality, though, is that England remain streets ahead of their home-union rivals and it would be a seismic shock if either Scotland (in Meggetland on March 8) or Ireland (London Irish, March 15) were able to impede their progress. Ireland beat the Scots 13-3 in Dublin last weekend but have limited experience in both playing and organisational terms, compared with the structure which underpins England and which has produced clubs serious enough to rival the traditional powers, among them Saracens, Richmond, Wasps and Clifton.
Catherine Spencer, the No 8 who captains England, is a good example. She made her way towards international recognition thanks to her upbringing with Folkestone , since she now lives, in Bristol, she has joined Worcester, the club which produced another England captain in Jo Yapp, the scrum half. Darlington Mowden Park and Blaydon were not names which rang through women's rugby in the way they are now beginning to.
Spencer was one of five try-scorers against France and, such was England's grip of the game, Street felt able to use his entire bench in the second half with Sarah Beale, the Leos lock, responding with two tries. Street believes he has at least thirty players capable of playing in the six nations and is intent on examining the qualities of all of them, with the next world cup still two years away.
There is also a coming of age on Saturday at Iffley Road where the 21st women's university match will be played between Oxford and Cambridge. Since Cambridge won the first in the series in 1988 they have found victory difficult to come by; their last win was in 2003 and last year, on home ground at Grange Road, they were trounced 37-7.
The expectation must be for an Oxford win this weekend since they play in a higher league than their Light Blue counterparts. Cambridge won promotion last season, though, and will have every hope of a far closer contest in their bid to match the 22-16 success of the men's team at Twickenham last December.