England Off To A Flyer In 11-try Women’s Rugby World Cup Mauling Of Usa

Lights, camera, action. The 2025 Rugby World Cup is nether measurement and England much than lived up to nan hype pinch a ascendant show against nan USA, which has underlined their favourites’ tag for nan World Cup crown. The prop Hannah Botterman and nan centre Megan Jones were standouts successful a bully squad display, and nan scary thought for their early opponents is that England were acold from their best.

Handling errors were astatine nan bosom of their sloppiness but they were ­commanding astatine scrum time, which sewage them retired of jailhouse connected a fewer ­occasions. When their onslaught did click thing could extremity them, nan champion effort of nan 11 coming pinch Botterman’s clever statement tally successful nan first half.

Before a shot was thrown, nan metropolis of Sunderland had been buzzing each time successful nan buildup. Heading to nan stadium location were USA fans successful basking canine outfits, while England ­supporters donned scarves and cowboy hats. The hats are ­becoming ­synonymous pinch nan Red Roses acknowledgment to Ellie ­Kildunne’s and Jones’s effort ­celebration that nan fans, who collapsed nan grounds for a women’s Rugby World Cup opening crippled pinch 42,573 successful nan stands, had to hold until nan 35th infinitesimal to see, erstwhile Kildunne scored her first try.

There was a showbiz commencement pinch nan opening ceremony, including nan popular prima Anne-Marie, but it was clear who nan rugby superstar was pinch a immense cheer for Ilona Maher, nan USA ­outside centre and nan astir ­followed rugby subordinate connected societal media, erstwhile nan teams were announced, but ­England’s Kildunne besides registered deafening applause.

It was a cagey opening fewer ­minutes pinch some teams’ first attacks thwarted, and connected nan Red Roses’ ­second effort they coughed up possession for a USA scrum.

However, England won a scrum punishment pinch nan first set-piece punch thrown by nan hosts. A elemental drawback and thrust was what astir anticipated from nan resulting lineup, and that is precisely what supporters sewage pinch nan openside flanker Sadia Kabeya nan first try-scorer of this World Cup.

The adjacent effort was a portion of rugby brilliance. Jones picked a crossfield kick, which Dow managed to retrieve and recycle, Botterman ran an master statement to splice nan defence unfastened and nan immense roar from nan prop that ­followed showed what it meant.

Ellie Kildunne celebrates pinch Abby Dow aft scoring England’s 4th effort successful their 69-7 mauling of USA. Photograph: Ian MacNicol/World Rugby/Getty Images

With England now successful nan driving seat, each mini triumph nan USA gained, if it was disrupting a lineout aliases ­winning a breakdown penalty, they celebrated wildly.

Maher had said successful a pre-match convention that nan USA tin beryllium their “own worst enemies” astatine times and that was decidedly nan lawsuit successful this Pool A match. ­

Miscommunication betwixt nan USA captain, Kate ­Zackary, and nan helping Bulou ­Mataitoga led to a judge effort being fumbled, but a portion of individual accomplishment by Erica Jarrell soon afterwards put nan USA connected nan board, and nan fly-half McKenzie Hawkins’s conversion counted but she trim it adjacent pinch nan hooter from nan countdown sounding conscionable aft her footwear attempt.

The USA past took different deed pinch Alev Kelter sent to nan misdeed bin for cynical play for hitting nan shot retired of Natasha “Mo” Hunt’s hands astatine a ruck.

England took advantage of being a subordinate up aft Maud Muir powered complete nan statement contempt resolute defence from nan USA.

The stadium came to life adjacent pinch supporters connected their feet arsenic Dow collapsed down nan correct earlier feeding backmost wrong to Kildunne.

Jess Breach scores England’s ninth effort during their Women’s Rugby World Cup opener astatine nan Stadium of Light. Photograph: Ian MacNicol/World Rugby/Getty Images

England were cooking and not only successful onslaught arsenic they held up a effort astatine nan different extremity of nan transportation conscionable earlier half-time.

The momentum was firmly ­England’s but it seemed nan Red Roses wanted much from their ­performance pinch nan activity group, including nan captain, Zoe Aldcroft, and vice-captain, Hunt, remaining connected nan transportation for a fewer minutes earlier heading into nan changing room.

Dow recovered nan effort statement to unfastened nan second-half scores pinch a Jones chargedown resulting successful an ­excellent finish from Kildunne a fewer phases later.

The USA could not get a look successful pinch Botterman coming up pinch a breakdown punishment that past resulted successful nan hooker Amy Cokayne crashing over. Aptly, nan opus played successful ­celebration was Just Can’t Get Enough by Depeche Mode, and nan Red Roses really couldn’t, pinch nan helping Jess Breach nan adjacent subordinate complete nan line.

England continued to property connected relentlessly, pinch nan replacement hooker Lark Atkin-Davies going over, and past Emily Scarratt entered nan transportation for her 5th Rugby World Cup, becoming nan first England subordinate to scope that milestone.

Scarratt, who won nan World Cup successful 2014 and made her first ­appearance astatine nan tourney successful nan location 2010 competition, took complete kicking duties aft replacing Zoe Harrison, but missed her footwear erstwhile Breach collapsed complete for her 2nd try.

The scoring was rounded disconnected by Atkin-Davies successful what was nan Red Roses’ 28th consecutive win.

England’s winning instrumentality is moving, and it already looks deadly successful nan pursuit of a trophy they person not won since 2014.

Next up for England is Samoa, while nan USA look Australia successful what is now a must-win crippled successful their ain Rugby World Cup campaign.