Heartache for England again as Black Ferns retain crown

England 10 New Zealand 13

(MIKE HEWITT/GETTY IMAGES)

The margins become smaller but the outcome remains, agonisingly for England, the same. The women's World Cup, which has been in New Zealand hands since 1998, remained there at the Twickenham Stoop yesterday after a pulsating contest which emphasised all that is good about the women's game.

The two countries have contested the last three finals, which the Black Ferns have won by 10 points (2002 in Barcelona), eight points (2006 in Edmonton) and now three points. But only the most churlish of English patriots would deny New Zealand's right to the title – any side which loses three players to the sin bin and still prevails probably deserves to.

Nor was it any surprise that Carla Hohepa, an elusive wing, should have scored their try or that England's response came, essentially, through their forwards (even if Charlotte Barras provided the finish from the wing). The holders were always the more threatening when they moved the ball wide, and, when the chips were down and they had only 14 players on the field – having briefly been down to 13 – they created their try. That rubbed salt into English wounds, into none more than Maggie Alphonsi and the outstanding Joanna McGilchrist.

The International Rugby Board is shortly to publish a strategic plan for the further development of the women's game, for which this sixth tournament has proved such a springboard. It hopes to bring more countries into the qualifying process and next May will confirm the hosts for 2014, though the successful country will do well to surpass England's efforts in creating the best attended tournament and a record crowd for any women's game yesterday when 13,253 packed the Stoop nearly to capacity. "I think we have changed the face of women's rugby," said Gary Street, England's head coach. "I'm so proud of how we have put women's rugby on the map."

The predominant feature of England's tournament has been the defence, which conceded only two tries in five games. It was tested to the uttermost yesterday during an opening quarter in which England scarcely left their own half; Kelly Brazier was brought down metres short by Danielle Waterman; Brazier and Emma Jensen missed penalty attempts; and England emerged from the fire the stronger.

How typical, therefore, that the side in black capitalised on a position of weakness. Anna Richards, the fly-half, left for the sin bin, overlapping for three minutes with Mel Bosman, both of them penalised at the breakdown; but before Bosman returned, New Zealand had taken the lead. The holders had the confidence to run at England, force a line-out 10 metres out and, from the subsequent ruck, Hohepa beat two defenders to the line.

Katy McLean was able to recover three points just after the interval before England endured more problems; there seemed no way Hohepa could be stopped when they attacked with turnover ball from halfway but McGilchrist pulled off what her coach described as the best cover tackle he had ever seen. Even then the move did not end, Victoria Grant forcing Katherine Merchant into another desperate tackle, and only when Richards was penalised in the tackle did the danger pass. Not that the Black Ferns were happy with the referee's interpretations at the breakdown: "I don't think we were getting a fair whack," said Melissa Ruscoe, who felt it the more when she became the third Black Fern to be sent off.

In her absence, England pulled level: Catherine Spencer called a five-metre penalty scrum, New Zealand reeled backwards and Spencer and Amy Turner worked Barras over, McLean kicking the awkward conversion. But four minutes later the nerveless Brazier kicked her second penalty and the death knell sounded for England when, with all their replacements used and New Zealand on the attack, Alice Richardson was carried off with a damaged knee.

England: Try Barras; Conversion McLean; Penalty McLean. New Zealand: Try Hohepa; Conversion Brazier; Penalties Brazier 2.

England D Waterman; C Barras, E Scarratt, R Burford (A Richardson, 50), K Merchant (A Penrith, 69); K McLean, A Turner (L Mason, 69); R Clark (C Purdy, 64), A Garnett (E Croker, 69), S Hemming, T Taylor (B Essex, 64), J McGilchrist, S Hunter, M Alphonsi, C Spencer (S Beale, 70).

New Zealand V Grant; C Hohepa, H Manuel, K Brazier, R Wickcliffe (T Hina, 70); A Richards, E Jensen; R McKay,, F Fa'amausili, M Bosman (S Te Ohaere-Fox, 64), V Robinson, V Heighway, M Ruscoe,, J Lavea (L Itunu, 69), C Robertson (J Sione, 69).

Referee S Corrigan (Australia).