England's vice-captain Marlie Packer was sent off during a 97-7 victory over Spain in their first Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Welford Road. The 35-year-old back-rower was shown a red card for a flying clearout on Spain full-back Clàudia Peña in the 61st minute, marring an otherwise dominant performance by the Red Roses.
Packer, who captained the side in Zoe Aldcroft's absence, expressed her remorse after the match. 'Obviously absolutely gutted for the team,' she said. Head coach John Mitchell acknowledged the incident but defended his player's intent. 'You can see the intent wasn't there. The game sets high standards in that area and ultimately we're trying to protect players,' he said.
Packer now faces a potential ban, with a mid-range suspension possibly reaching six weeks, though a clean disciplinary record could halve that. Mitchell downplayed the impact on squad selection. 'I think we might get a couple of weeks. So that's easy to deal with,' he said.
On the pitch, England ran in 15 tries, with Helena Rowland scoring a hat-trick and prop Sarah Bern crossing twice. The hosts were fluent and efficient, demonstrating composure and strong decision-making. Spain's only score came from a Peña try after half-time.
The Red Roses now travel to face France next weekend in their final warm-up before the World Cup, which begins on 22 August against the USA at the Stadium of Light. Despite the red card, team spirit remains high, with players rallying around Packer after the match.
