England led 24-14 at half-time before scoring 10 tries during a dominant second half to claim a bonus-point 84-19 win and move top of Rugby World Cup Pool C; the Red Roses’ victory extends their winning streak to 26 matches
Last Updated: 08/10/22 8:24am
England made a record-breaking start to their bid for Rugby World Cup victory with a ruthless 84-19 win over Fiji in Auckland.
The Red Roses ran in 14 tries – including 10 during a relentless second half – to extend the pre-tournament favourites’ winning streak to 26 matches and move top of Pool C with a bonus-point victory.
Fiji – making their tournament debut – caused problems during the opening 40 minutes and only trailed by 10 points at the interval, but they struggled in the second half at Eden Park as England’s fitness and experience showed.
Winger Claudia MacDonald top-scored for England with four tries, while England’s 14-try tally breaks their previous record for most in a World Cup match.
England’s winning start to the World Cup
Hooker Amy Cokayne, lock Abbie Ward and MacDonald scored tries which all had their origins in England’s trademark lineout drive in the opening 27 minutes, before Fiji hit back with a brilliant try.
Fiji full-back Roela Radiniyavuni cut through the England defensive line before finding Alowesi Nakoci with a lofted pass that allowed the winger a free run to the line.
England responded in kind through centre Helena Rowland after a break from flanker Sadia Kabeyat, although Fiji had the last word in the half through a fine individual score from centre Sesenieli Donu which cut the deficit to 24-14 at the break.
The second half was pretty much one-way traffic as Cokayne grabbed a second score, winger Lydia Thompson scored a double and MacDonald added three more tries to her tally.
Lock Zoe Aldcroft, replacement winger Abby Dow, reserve hooker Connie Powell and scrum-half Leanne Infante all also crossed as the Fijians chased shadows.
Fiji again had the last word, however, with scrum-half Lavena Cavuru scoring a consolation try just before the final hooter.
Emily Scarratt kicked five of her conversion attempts for England, with Zoe Harrison booting two herself, while the 84 points bettered England’s previous World Cup best of 82 that was set against Kazakhstan in 2010.
What’s next for England?
England’s next Pool C match is next Saturday in Whangarei against France, who began their World Cup with a bonus-point 40-5 victory against South Africa.
Scrum-half Laure Sansus opened the scoring with the first of her two tries, before centre Emilie Boulard latched onto a chip ahead from fly-half Caroline Drouin and winger Gabrielle Vernier ran in an intercept for the third score inside the first 20 minutes.
South Africa got on scoreboard early in the second half when winger Nomawethu Mabenge finished well in the corner and repelled French attacks until Sansus breached their line for a second time in the 68th minute.
Drouin capped a fine performance with a try of her own four minutes later, before her cross-kick in the closing seconds gave debutant winger Joanna Grisez the simplest of finishes for a sixth French try of the contest.