England A overcame the early loss of Richmond centre Abigail Chamberlain to win 10-5 over Spain in Gijon on Sunday.

Tries from Katherine Merchant and Jenny Edwards gave England their second win in eight days, but Spain made them work very hard for their victory.

Another Richmond player, Rowena Burnfield, played a key role in the first try, with a good break that saw England gain vital space. She brushed off several tackles before off-loading to Kim Oliver before Merchant made the final few yards.

It wasn’t unti five minutes from time that England stretched their lead when Edwards scored in the corner and Spain’s efforts were rewarded in the final minute when scrum-half Isabel Rodriquez scored.

England A face Nomads at Esher RFC on March 13 (5.30pm).

England A: 15 Georgina Roberts (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 14 Katherine Merchant (Worcester), 13 Abigail Chamberlain (Richmond), 12 Kimberley Oliver (Bristol), 11 Natasha Hunt (Bristol), 10 Danielle Knight (Lichfield), 9 Georgina Rozario (Bristol), 1 Laura Keates (Worcester), 2 Emma Layland (Richmond), 3 Katy Storie (Team Northumbria), 4 Rowena Burnfield (Richmond), 5 Natalie Binstead (Wasps), 6 Gemma Sharples (Worcester), 7 Sonia Green (C) (Saracens), 8 Karen Jones (Worcester), Replacements: 16 Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield), 17 Rosemarie Crowley (Lichfield), 18 Jenny Brightmore (Worcester), 19 Marlie Packer (Bristol), 20 Sarah Guest (Worcester), 21 Rose Fong (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 22 Jennifer Edwards (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) Substitutions: Crowley for Keates (HT), Brightmore for Binstead (50), Packer for Sharples, Gust for Rozario (both 57), Edwards for Knight (62), Fleetwood for Layland (66)