The second place finish by Jason Lewis's team bettered last year’s third place position, and to mark the superb result Louise Rickard became Wales’s first female centurion as she gained her 100th cap to equal Gareth Thomas as the country’s highest capped international.

Enagland, the form team of the tournament, rounded off a third successive Grand Slam Women’s Six Championship with a hard fought 17-7 victory over Ireland Women at London Irish ARFC, Sunbury-on-Thames.

England Women started in the best possible fashion as centre Claire Allen notched a try for the side after just one minute of play. Fly half Katy McLean converted for a seven point lead but the home side were not to run away with the scoring as they had done in some of their previous matches of the tournament. McLean converted a penalty to hand her side a ten point advantage at the break but Ireland fought back with fierce defending. They did leak another converted try, to Sarah Beale on 70 minutes, but Irish determination paid off as Yvonne Nolan secured a try from a line-out catch and drive, taking the final score to 17-7.

The final match of the 2008 Women’s Six Nations was the Wooden Spoon decider between Italy and Scotland. Scottish winger Cara D'Silva gained an early try for her country at the Stadio Comunale in Mira, but a penalty and try from Veronica Schiavon took the Azzurri into the lead. Another penalty and a second Italian try, from second row Flavia Severin, handed Italy a commanding 20-5 lead at the interval.

Schiavon extended her personal points haul with two penalties after the restart before Scotland captain Jilly McCord went over for a try to reduce the deficit. Italy though pulled ahead once more as Severin gained her brace to complete the 31-10 scoreline, Schiavon finishing on an impressive twenty-one points to condemn Scotland Women to the Wooden Spoon.


Results Table