12-try Spain too strong for Dutch

Spain, as expected, beat the Netherlands 70-0 as they started the defence of their European title. The result with Spain’s 12thwin in 12 games against their Dutch opponents, a fixture in which the Dutch have not scored a point since 2018.

For the first 40 minutes the Dutch barely managed to get out of their own half. And it did not take Spain long to get the scoreboard moving – just 80 seconds before Clara Piquero scored the first try, quick hands, a couple of phases and over in the corner.

After 8 minutes a perfectly timed kick ahead from Zahia Perez was picked up by Claudia Peña to score under the posts. The third try came after 16’m set up by a box kixk from Lucia Diaz and ending with a try from Alba Capell.

The Dutch pack was always under huge pressure, and after 22’ this set up a fourth try, the Dutch being driven back from a scrum, a couple of quick passes and Alba Vinuesa was in to score. 24-0.

Vinuesa was just tackled short four minutes later, but Maider Aresti was on hand for the fifth try. 31-0.

Claudia Perez added a debut try in the 30thminute, out of the left, after a break by Cristina Blanco. 36-0, and then just before half-time a basketball pass from Piquero set up Peña for her second try, and Spain lead 41-0 at the break.

A yellow card for Alba Capell early in the second half did not slow the Spanish and It took just seven minutes for Spain to add try number eight, with Perez getting her second. 46-0

Capell added try number nine when she rejoined the game, driving through several defenders to score, following a Spanish lineout on 5m. 53-0.

By now Spain were trying anything and after 55’ and outrageous offload from Peñp set up try 10 from Lucía Gayoso. 58-0.

The Dutch held the Spanish at bay for the next quarter of an hour, but with 10 minutes to go a Spanish line out set up a maul and María Miguel added try number 11. 63-0.

Continual pressure saw the Dutch run out of defenders and on 77’ Carmen Castellucci was able to stroll in under the posts.

The Dutch had one of their best phases in the final few minutes, but never broke into the Spanish 22, giving a final score of 70-0.

SPAIN; 1 Marta Estelles; 2 Cristina Blanco (Cap); 3 Sidorella Bracic; 4 Anna Puig; 5 Lourdes Alameda; 6 Lucía Gayoso; 7 Alba Capell; 8 Carmen Castellucci; 9 Lucia Diaz; 10 Zahia Perez; 11 Claudia Perez; 12 Maider Aresti; 13 Alba Vinuesa; 14 Clara Piquero; 15 Claudia Peña

16 Laura Delgado; 17 María Miguel; 18 Maria Roman; 19 Kasandra Sylla; 20 Ana Peralta; 21 Alba Alpin; 22 Ines Bueso-Inchausti; 23 Cecilia Huarte

NETHERLANDS; 1 Anouk Veerkamp; 2 Julia Morauw; 3 Nicky Dix; 4 Mhina De Vos; 5 Isa Prins; 6 Liza De Wild; 8 Supartie Van Heerde; 7 Julia Verhoeven (Cap); 9 Esmee Ligtvoet; 10 Jet Metz; 11 Helen Van Hattem; 12 Quen Makkinga; 13 Isis Touw; 14 Noa Donkersloot; 15 Merel De Groot

16 Sydney De Weijer; 17 Kyra Elzinga; 18 Mariet Luijken; 19 Michaja Van Capel; 20 Morgane Ter Cock; 21 Lieve Stallmann; 22 Maya Sangala; 23 Flore Voogd