Netherlands are top of the fledgling table after a big victory while Spain also got their women’s Rugby Europe Championship campaign off to a flying start at the weekend.
On Sunday, Netherlands showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s four-team event by defeating Portugal 59-0 at home in round one of action. The day before, defending champions Spain had also notched up a bonus point triumph as they saw off newcomers Belgium 39-0 at home.
At the National Rugby Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands turned on the style in their game, leading 28-0 at half-time and never looking back.
Indeed, given how important defence is they will be just as happy to have not conceded any points than to have scored a batch of tries over the 80 minutes.
The home side showed their intent from the off, scoring try number one after four minutes and being 21-0 up after 24 minutes.
The tries in that period came from tighthead prop Sydney De Weijer, No.8 Linde Van Der Velden and back-row Mariet Luijken with full-back Isis Touw converting all three.
© Erik Den Burger
A fourth converted try came via centre Isa Spoler in the 26th minute.
The one-way traffic continued after the interval, second-row Elizabeth Shermer, winger Lieve Stallmann, stand-off Pleuni Kievit, winger Franka Holland and centre Isabel Du Pre getting in on the try scoring act and Luijken converting three of them.
The player of the match was Netherlands scrum-half Lieke Van De Griend.
© Erik Den Burger
Meanwhile, at the El Cantizal Stadium in the Las Rosas area of Madrid, Spain also kept a clean sheet and managed to score seven tries of their own to get the victory over Belgium.
It was 27-0 at half-time and Belgium, the Trophy winners from last year, could have seen their heads go down, but they battled away and only conceded 12 points after the interval.
Winger Tecla Masoko (2), full-back Amalia Argudo Llobregat (2), centre Amaia Erbina, hooker Nuria Jou Pons and No.8 Valentina Lucia Perez Marquez were the try scorers for Spain with Argudo Llobregat kicking two conversions.
The player of the match was Amalia Argudo.
© Patricia J. Garcinuno
After the Easter break, round two of the tournament is on April 11 when Portugal and Spain meet and Netherlands travel to Belgium.
The third and final round of action will be on April 18 and with fast starters Netherlands and Spain meeting that day - as well as Belgium and Portugal - there is plenty of exciting action still to come.
By Gary Heatly
