Poppy grabs third Grand Slam title with England's Red Roses

BURGATE’S Poppy Cleall started every match and was a dominant force in England Women’s 2020 Six Nations Grand Slam victory.

Free-scoring forward Cleall went over for her fourth try in five championship matches to help the Red Roses secure back-to-back Grand Slams with a 54-0 victory over Italy in Parma.

The Red Roses were already crowned champions going into the match after Scotland held France to a 13-13 draw.

The result means England’s men and women teams have both secured the 2020 titles, the first time they have completed that double since 2017.

The former Ellingham & Ringwood player started all five matches to continue the fine form that has seen her lift the Women’s Premiership three times with Saracens as well as amass 40 caps for her country.

This is 28-year-old’s third Grand Slam title after previously lifting the Six Nations in 2017 and 2019. In 2017, she also went to the Women’s World Cup where the Red Roses finished as runners-up after a spirited loss to New Zealand, who lifted their fifth title.

Cleall, who started at flanker after starting at lock in some of the previous games, scored her side’s second try of the match. England won a scrum in the middle of the pitch five metres out.

The powerful pack drove their Italian counterparts backwards, which allowed number eight Sarah Beckett to pick up from the back of the scrum before she was tackled just short of the line.

The English forwards secured the ball before Cleall picked up and powerfully drove over the line.

England were in imperious form throughout the Six Nations scoring 219 points while conceding just 20.

Their campaign started in France where England began with a 19-13 win in what was their closest scoreline of the tournament.

Bonus-point wins followed against Scotland (53-0), Ireland (27-0) and Wales (66-7), before finishing the Six Nations with another bonus-point victory in Italy.