England secure another slam

Ireland claimed third spot on the Women’s Six Nations table despite a final day loss to England at Esher RFC.

The women put it up to England, ranked second in the world, until the hour mark when the home side broke free to claim their sixth Grand Slam in seven years.

Niamh Briggs and Katy Mclean swapped a brace of penalties for a deserved 6-6 score at the break but converted tries from England’s Mclean and Amy Turner put the game out of reach.

Scorers for England: Tries: K Mclean, A Turner. Cons: K Mclean (two). Pen: K Mclean (two), E Scarratt.

Scorers for Ireland: Pens: N Briggs (two).

ENGLAND: E Scarratt (Lichfield); K Merchant (Worcester), R Burford (Richmond), K Oliver (Bristol), K Wilson (Bristol); K Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) (capt), N Hunt (Lichfield); L Keates (Worcester), V Fleetwood (Lichfield), S Hemming (Bristol), R Burnfield (Richmond), T Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), M Packer (Bristol), M Alphonsi (Saracens), S Hunter (Lichfield).

Replacements: A Turner (Richmond), R Clark (Worcester), R Essex (Richmond), H Gallagher (Saracens), LT Mason (Wasps), C Large (Worcester), M Staniford (Wasps).

IRELAND: A Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); N Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster), N Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster), G Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), A Miller (Portlaoise/Highfield/Connacht); L Cantwell (Exile), A Davis (Blackrock/Leinster); F Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), G Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), A Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), S Spence (Exile), ML Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), L Guest (Highfield/Munster), C Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), J Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster).

Replacements: P Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), R O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht), S Fleming (Tralee/Munster), H O’Brien (Highfield/Munster), L Muldoon (Exile/UWIC/Ulster), S Houston (Blackrock College/Leinster), J Murphy (Exile).