Leeds Rhinos trio shine in England Women's big win over France

England ran in 12 tries in their first game since Barrow took charge following last year’s World Cup semi-final exit.

“We didn't come here today expecting a 60-odd nil game,” Barrow admitted. “Last year, we played these in June after 10 or 11 rounds of Super League and only beat them 32-10.

“It has surprised me a little. We want better competition internationally, but the Women's Super League is getting stronger.”

Centre Amy Hardcastle was the only Leeds Rhinos player on duty to cross the line - scoring England’s final try.

Her winger Leah Burke stole the show with four touchdowns, two in each half. Rhinos scrum-half Georgia Roche, who has signed for Australian club Newcastle Knights, was involved in several of England’s tries and Kera Bennett contributed two solid spells at number nine.

France beat rookies Serbia 116-0 earlier this season, but offered no real opposition. The only time they got within 30 metres of England’s line came, via a penalty, on the final play of the first period.

After the break they had possession in England’s half just once, after the hosts spilled the restart from their 11th try. France knocked on at the base of the subsequent scrum.

The pattern was set literally from the kick-off, which France’s Margot Canal knocked-on in-goal.

Roche’s pass set Leah Burke in for England’s first try after 80 seconds and Burke doubled up, following an in-goal error by France’s other winger Perle Ramazeilles, eight minutes later.

Prop Shona Hoyle stormed over for a solo try, Tamzin Renouf and Eboni Partington finished off a nice team move on England’s right and Tara-Jane Stanley also crossed as Enbgland eased to a 30-0 interval lead.

The second-half was more of the same, though England made a slower start, it taking three minutes for Canberra Raiders-bound Hollie-Mae Dodd to get the scoreboard ticking again.

Burke completed her hat-trick before Dodd crossed again and Sinead Peach’s try brought up the half-century with 16 minutes left.

A fourth from Burke followed before Hardcastle powered over, in a move involving Roche and Stanley’s eighth conversion completed the scoring.

England Women: Stanley, Partington, Renouf, Hardcastle, Burke, Harris, Roche, Wood, Bennett, Hoyle, Rudge, Dodd. Subs Perach, Whitfield, Field, Molyneux.

France: M Samarra, Ramazeilles, Biville, Guillerot, Canal, Pommier, Canet, Legout, Ramos, Zaghdoudi, Akpa, Kuresa, D Samarra. Subs Michel, Menaa, Segala, Roses.

Referee: Kristoff Young (Wales).