Watch Julia Hickelsberger’s goal, which lifts Austria to a 1-0 victory over Scotland in Melissa Andreatta’s first game as head coach, which removes the visitors from the Women’s Nations League standings.
Scotland 0-1 Austria MATCH REPORT
Betfred Super League
Hull KR (28) 34
Tries: Minchella, Hiku, Lewis, and Broadbent.
St. Helens (4) 4
Hull KR defeated a struggling St. Helens side to advance to the Challenge Cup final at Wembley next week.
With a 28-4 lead at the break, the hosts were cruising on thanks to Peta Hiku, Mikey Lewis, and Elliot Minchella’s finishes, Jack Broadbent scored twice and Mikey Lewis added two tries.
After the break, Lewis Murphy, who had already scored Saints’ only try in the opening half, had his acrobatic effort blocked just before Lewis went in for his second of the night at the other end.
Rovers are well-positioned for their cup decider in London next Saturday when they face Warrington Wolves, who have won a record 10 Super League titles since 2000.
After just six minutes, Kelepi Tanginoa scored the game’s opening try from close range to Broadbent.
Alex Walmsley, a talismanic prop, made his 300th appearance for St. Helens, which was frustrating and bloody.
Before Hiku stormed in for Rovers’ second try of the night, the former England and Great Britain international was taken with him as he attempted to touch down, his head was bandaged, and then minutes later he was held up over the line after taking a number of defenders with him.
St. Helens’ response, however, was only delayed by a second due to Jonny Lomax’s partnership with Murphy, who soared over the whitewash to finish.
Dean Cross was then sin-binned for a high tackle on Arthur Mourgue, but Broadbent was back at their best when Jez Litten scored a neatly threaded kick for his second try.
Before the England half-back kicked and collected just before half-time to set Minchella up for the host’s fifth score, Lewis immediately followed that up with a fierce effort.
The first 40 minutes of St. Helens, which also lost full-back Jack Welsby due to an apparent knee injury, were played in a deft manner.
Murphy attempted to reduce the margin after the break, but the television match official ruled out his injury-plagued finish in the corner.
Luckley, Brown, Doro, and Leyland are their replacements.
Welsby, Sailor, Percival, Cross, Murphy, Lomax, Whitby, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles, and others.
Mbye, Pa’asi, Delaney, and Robertson are their replacements.
Sin-bin: Cross (21 mins)
Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, is expected to miss the pending West Indies series while on maternity leave, according to her husband Katherine.
Theo, who was carried by former England bowler Katherine, was born one month after Sciver-Brunt, 32, was appointed captain.
Katherine Sciver-Brunt, the birth mother, claimed in the BBC Test Match Special that Nat was entitled to four months of maternity leave.
She stayed there for three more weeks because England wanted her back for this series.
Because those first eight weeks were difficult, that was a significant sacrifice.
Theo and Sciver-Brunt shared a room during the T20 series’s Monday finale and Katherine’s first day-long international in Derby, where Katherine worked as a BBC commentator.
England’s first two matches were between the all-rounder and Charlotte Edwards, who were hired after Heather Knight and Jon Lewis were fired as a result of the fallout from last winter’s Ashes defeat.
Katherine spent the winter while she was pregnant, but she kept her place during the Women’s Premier League in February and March.
Her wife wouldn’t have arrived home in time for the birth if she had labored while Nat was playing at the Indian tournament.
Nat is England’s first mother since Arran Brindle, who played her final game in 2014.
A stand-in captain was reportedly in the works for this series, which was a difficult question for England, according to Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
However, towards the end of her career, Lottie [Edwards] wanted Nat and I couldn’t deny that.
Nat would not have done it if I had been upset or unsure. Because of her selfless nature, she makes a great captain.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) updated its maternity policy on Friday, following the release of Sciver-Brunt’s comments.
Prior to the 13th week of childbirth, England players were promised a full salary with a percentage remaining, but now they are entitled to 12 months of fully paid leave, an automatic contract extension, support with childcare and breastfeeding facilities, and more.
County players will also receive a six-month contract extension as well as paid maternity leave.
Nat said she would like to have a baby after her cricket career and that she had been given egg-freezing treatment last summer.
It takes more than a year to regain your body’s fitness and get you back to where you were, according to Katherine.
You have worked so hard as a woman to get to that point in your career, but you have to take a step back and balance starting a family.
There is still time needed to decide whether to extract and freeze your eggs, according to the article.
“As an exceptional athlete, you frequently have a long career ahead of you, but not if you want to start a family.”
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt was set to miss the ongoing West Indies series on maternity leave before being made captain, says her wife Katherine.
Sciver-Brunt, 32, was named captain in April, a month after her son, Theo, who was carried by former England bowler Katherine, was born.
“Nat was entitled to four months’ maternity leave, not being the birth mother,” Katherine Sciver-Brunt told BBC Test Match Special.
“She took three weeks of that because England wanted her back for this series.
“That was a huge sacrifice because those first eight weeks are so hard.
Theo was with Sciver-Brunt during the T20 series which concluded on Monday and the first one-day international on Friday in Derby, where Katherine was working as a commentator for the BBC.
The matches were England’s first under the all-rounder and new coach Charlotte Edwards, who were appointed after Heather Knight and Jon Lewis were sacked amid the fallout from last winter’s Ashes defeat.
Katherine travelled alongside England while pregnant throughout the winter but remained at home during the Women’s Premier League in February and March.
Had she gone into labour while Nat was at the tournament in India, her wife would not have made it home in time for the birth.
Nat is the first mother to play for England since Arran Brindle, who played her last international in 2014.
“There were talks of a stand-in captain coming in for this series and that was a hard question for England,” Katherine Sciver-Brunt said.
“But ultimately Lottie [Edwards] wanted Nat and I couldn’t deny her that opportunity towards the back end of her career.
“If I was unhappy or wasn’t sure, Nat would not have done it. She is selfless in that way and that is why she makes such a good captain.”
Sciver-Brunt’s comments come after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced an update to its maternity policy on Friday.
Previously England players were guaranteed their full salary for the first 13 weeks post-childbirth and a percentage thereafter but they will now receive 12 months’ fully paid leave, plus an automatic contract extension and support with childcare and breastfeeding facilities.
County players will get six months’ paid maternity leave plus the contract extension.
Nat had egg freezing treatment last summer and said she would like to carry a baby after her cricket career.
“When you talk about giving birth, it takes more than a year to get your body back into fitness and revert back to what you were,” Katherine said.
“You have worked so hard as a female to get to that point in your career and then you have to question stepping back and having to juggle starting a family.
“Even deciding to extract and freeze your eggs, there is time that has to be taken out for that.
“If you are an exceptional athlete you often have a long career ahead of you, but not if you want to start a family.
Amy Jones had waited a while before recording her first international century, which she compiled into 12 years, 225 matches, and 190 innings.
In England’s first one-day international played against West Indies at Derby under the new leadership of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards, the wicketkeeper finally made it past the 90s.
After Maia Bouchier’s side omission, Edwards’ first tactical move was to reinstate Jones’ order, and she immediately repaid the favor.
Jones had opened for England 23 times between 2016 and 2019, but she claimed Edwards’ simplicity eased the pressure upon her return to the top.
She said, “You’ve done pretty well opening up at county level, and you’ve got a good go at it.” For me, having that option was really exciting,” Jones said in a BBC Test Match Special interview.
All of England’s players will remember the Ashes drubbing, but Jones’ injury in the second ODI in Melbourne, which really gave the country its spiral, was a particularly painful experience.
Jones, who had been given the task of chasing 181 to bring the series to a 47, missed marshaling the tail and miscounting the balls left in an over.
It is fitting that Jones has responded right away to the call given that Edwards had already made her intentions clear regarding England’s “smartness” in 50-over cricket prior to that series.
In an England shirt before, Jones had previously made it past 90 three times, including 94 in the 2018 World Cup against India, 91 in the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand, and an unbeaten 92 in this knock that sounded like she was slipping on 92 and 93.
With India’s arrival next month, tougher opposition will undoubtedly follow, but Jones’ smile as she embraced fellow centurion Tammy Beaumont in a show of celebration demonstrated how much weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
On BBC Test Match Special, former England seamer Katherine Sciver-Brunt said, “There would have been a few people scratching their heads wondering why she would be opening the batting.”
I’m incredibly pleased because I never believed she had lost that position. She simply assumed that she would be four, five, or six, rather than “I want that spot back” to whoever was in charge.
She has done that well the past two years. She has the first hundred steps under some pressure, and I’m so happy for her.
As the race for top spot in Group B2 descends to the final game, Republic of Ireland forward Emily Murphy said, “dream” of scoring like her late winner over Turkey.
Carla Ward’s side were relying on three points to hold off group leaders Slovenia, with Kader Hancar’s goal early in the second half giving Turkey the lead.
The away side won, however, thanks to a composed finish from Murphy in the 89th minute and an own goal from Busem Seker with 10 minutes left.
Murphy told RTE, “I am thrilled with the goal.”
I’ll admit that I don’t quite recall [the goal] because I just remember having much more time than I thought.
“The former version of myself would have slammed into Row Z,” but I took a deep breath, sat down, and tried my hardest to hit it.
You imagine the game’s winners, but in the end, we should have been better and didn’t want that to happen.
The Republic of Ireland were level after fellow substitute Megan Campbell’s throw-in, with Murphy praising the fact that “everyone who came on made an impact.”
“You have substitutes because there is a reason.” The Newcastle United striker continued, “We need those game changers, and you might need new legs or tactics.”
“Thankfully, the right choices were made, and everyone who came on made a difference,” he said.
The Republic of Ireland will now be guaranteed second place in Group B2, but they can still claim the lead when they welcome Slovenia to Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Tuesday night.