England's vice-captain & try scorer Natasha Hunt

Barry Maddocks’ team, who featured three players making their Sevens debuts and several more with only a handful of caps, did well to take the 19-12 victory in the final against a full strength Italian side.

England, who were reigning champions, did, however, only take the win in the last play of the game when debutant Julie Hope crossed. They had led 7-12 at the break but Italy hit back when England lost Bristol’s Amy Wilson-Hardy, another player making her first ever Sevens start, to the sin bin. England paid the price but still did well to claw their way back into the lead.

Maddocks, who will this week name his 12-woman squad for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow (June 28-30), said: “This has been a good tournament in terms of developing a lot of players who I think could be involved in our Sevens programme next season. There is some great potential here but they will only benefit from experience. This weekend was all about giving them opportunities and exposure and they certainly had that, playing against full strength sides like France and Italy.”

England booked their place in the Plate knock-out stages after losing 26-0 to France and 17-0 to Ireland on the opening day of the European series. They did, however, pick up wins against Portugal (17-0), Germany (40-0) and Scotland (31-7) in the pool games. Next-up was Wales in the Plate semi-final and tries from Kay Wilson, Natasha Hunt and Sally Tuson secured that victory before England took on Italy in the final.

Results:

Final: England 19 Italy 12

Tries: Hunt, Wilson, Hope

Conversions: Scott, Cattell

Semi-Final: England 19 Wales 14

Tries: Hunt, Wilson, Tuson

Conversions: Scott (2)

Pool Games:

England 17 Portugal 0

Tries: Chamberlain, Hope, Tuson

Conversion: Scott

England 0 France 26

England 40 Germany 0

Tries: Chamberlain, A Matthews, Wilson, Cattell, Hunt, Hope

Conversions: Cattell (4), Hunt

England 0 Ireland 17

England 31 Scotland 7

Tries: A Matthews, Tuson (2), Hunt, Wilson,

Conversions: Cattell, Scott (2)

England

Claire Allan   (Richmond) (C)

Lauren           Cattell (Saracens)

Abigail            Chamberlain (Richmond)

Sonia Green (Saracens)

Julie   Hope  (Carlisle)

Natasha         Hunt   (Lichfield) (VC)

Alexandra      Matthews       (Richmond)

Francesca     Matthews       (Richmond)

Emily  Scott   (Thurrock)

Sally   Tuson (Bristol)

Kay     Wilson            (Bristol)

Amy    Wilson-Hardy (Bristol)