England A Women 22 Spain 5

England A Women bounced back from their Nomads defeat a week ago to record an encouraging 22-5 victory over Spain on Saturday in Madrid.

Mike Barnett's side, who were defeated 27-12 by a supremely experienced outfit seven days ago, inflicted a four try win on the senior Spanish side which also saw Waterloo winger Helen Price secure a brace of tries.

It was, in fact, Price who opened on the scoreboard after a dogged first 15 minutes that saw England A on the back-foot until Price's touchdown.

To England's relief, they weathered a lot of pressure from the hosts to hold out in defence and then turned the tables on Spain when, against the run of play, the forwards secured possession and then carried the ball up-field. Fullback Vicki Jackson then broke in the midfield to feed Gemma Sharples, who then set up Price on the right to score.

Jackson missed the conversion and England A soon found themselves having to dig deep again when Spain equalised with a powerful drive over the line from a line-out, with fly-half Marina Bravo doing the celebrating.

They did just that though and on 24 minutes were rewarded for their efforts when Exeter University student Charlotte Boggis handed England a five-point cushion.

The talented winger, who was also on the score-sheet against the Nomads, was on the end of a great try started by Richmond's Sara Anastasi.

The lock nicked the ball at the breakdown and England attacked, moving the ball around.

With centre Georgina Roberts in support Jackson then passed inside to Boggis who scored.

England then went a player down on 30 minutes with the sin-binning of Sonia Green but it did not matter too much though with Price adding her second touchdown on the 40 minute mark.

This time some quick ball, which had Natalie Binstead and Emma Layland at the heart of the action, saw Price set-up, and with some nifty footwork the winger worked her way around two cover defenders to run under the posts and score.

Jackson this time added the conversion handing England a 17-5 lead at the break.

After the restart, both teams struggled to get into the flow of the game but patience paid off for the tourists with Richmond replacement Fran Matthews adding England's final try.

This time Sharples broke in defence, and with Boggis, Layland and Sarah Hunter keeping the momentum going, Matthews cut away to score and take the 22-5 victory.

England A head coach Barnett said: "This was a very good win against a strong Spanish side. We tried to play good rugby and move the ball into space and stretch them.

"We did some of that and it was also great to see some of the young backs playing so well.

"There were tries for wings Matthews and Price while Hunter and Layland, stepping down from the senior team, demonstrated their leadership from the front.

"We are now all looking forward to the next challenge against France A in two weeks."

England A: 1 Claire Purdy (C) (Wasps), 2 Emma Layland (Richmond), 3 Rosemarie Crowley (Lichfield), 4 Sara Anastasi (Richmond), 5 Natalie Binstead (Wasps), 6 Sonia Green (Saracens), 7 Gemma Sharples (Worcester), 8 Sarah Hunter (Lichfield), 9 Georgina Rozario (Plymouth Albion), 10 Christina Lee (Clifton), 11 Fiona Pocock (Richmond), 12 Charlotte Boggis (Exeter University), 13 Georgina Roberts (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 14 Helen Price (Waterloo), 15 Vicki Jackson (Lichfield). Replacements: 16 Samantha Jamieson (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 17 Katherine Smith (Richmond), 18 Rowena Burnfield (Richmond), 19 Lois Moulding (Worcester), 20 Sarah Guest (Lichfield), 21 Karina Page (Old Albanian Saints), 22 Francesca Matthews (Richmond) Substitutions: Matthews for Pocock (60), Jamieson for Layland (62), Page for Boggis (65), Smith for Crowley (65), Burnfield for Anastasi (72), Moulding for Sharples (72), Guest for Rozario (72)Tries: Price (2), Boggis, Matthews. Conversions: Jackson