England thrashes US in front of record crowd in Women’s Rugby World Cup opener
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SUNDERLAND, England (AP) — Red-hot trophy favorite England launched its home bid for the Women’s Rugby World Cup crown by thrashing the United States 69-7 in front of a record-sized crowd on Friday.
England overcame early nerves and scored 11 tries to one for a 28th straight victory.
The effort by the world’s best team was appreciated by a record women’s rugby test attendance of 42,723, eclipsing by 144 tickets the previous high set at the 2022 World Cup final, where England suffered its only loss in the last six years.
The tournament-opening result on Friday ticked all of England’s boxes.
The set-pieces were dominant, the collisions were aggressive, no injuries were suffered, no unnecessary energy was sapped, and a plucky Eagles side was overwhelmed for a 21st straight time. Coach John Mitchell said they happily relieved to finally get underway.
“We know that our game works,” Mitchell said. “We’ll get better and flow, and there were some really good signs tonight.”
The result was in hand by halftime at 28-7, and England opened up in the second half. It showed off the power of its bench, including the appearance of center Emily Scarratt, the first Englishwomen to play in five World Cups.
England put on a seven-try show, including doubles for fullback Ellie Kildunne, wing Jess Breach and replacement hooker Lark Atkin-Davies.
The world’s best player in 2024, Kildunne, was named the player of the match but forwards Sadia Kabeya and Hannah Botterman were more deserving and center Megan Jones was arguably England’s best back.
Kabeya scored the tournament’s opening try in the seventh minute from a lineout drive, England’s bread-and-butter try move. The U.S. had the ball for the first two minutes but England tackling sent the Eagles backwards into their own half. The Eagles also had the first scrum put-in and conceded a penalty that led to the Kabeya try.
Kabeya was picked as the openside flanker ahead of former captain Marlie Packer and was a standout.
Botterman, the loosehead prop, wasn’t contained in the scrum or open play. She scored England’s second try running a perfect line after Jones tore open the U.S. by running over flanker Georgie Perris-Redding, who left the field.
The Americans replied when Erica Jarrell-Searcy busted two tackles and speared to the try-line. Jarrell-Searcy went to the 2022 World Cup as a prop but never played and has made it back as a lock.
Moments later, teammate Alev Kelter was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and England exploited her absence to score tries to prop Maud Muir from another lineout drive and, from the restart, Kildunne, who finished a sweeping move with Abby Dow.
The second half was also a potent show of England’s defense. The U.S. strung 13 and 17 phases but couldn’t sniff the try-line.
England will make wholesale changes for its second pool game against Samoa in Northampton next weekend, when the U.S. will play a crucial game against Australia in York.
Ilona Maher, the Olympic medallist who carried and tackled well in her World Cup debut, believed the Eagles will be better for the match, despite suffering their worst World Cup defeat.
“It won’t be tough to deal with, it sets us up well,” Maher said. “If it was an easy match, we would have come in flying (against Australia) and could have been too confident. It gets us psyched for Australia because we had moments of brilliance.”
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