England Crushes Samoa in Women’s Rugby World Cup and Sets New Records
In a historic encounter, England demonstrated their superiority in the Women’s Rugby World Cup by defeating Samoa with a resounding 92-3 in Northampton. The match, which took place on Saturday, witnessed the impressive performance of the “Red Roses”, who set new records in the competition. England, considered the favorite, did not disappoint and scored 14 tries, including a hat-trick by Jess Breach, in front of a crowd of 13,615 spectators at Franklin’s Gardens. The final score surpassed the 82-0 victory over Kazakhstan in 2010, setting a new record for the “Red Roses” in the World Cup. In addition, their previous record for points scored was surpassed, established in the 84-19 victory against Fiji in 2022. Helena Rowland, with 11 conversions from England’s 14 tries and her own try, accumulated 27 points, surpassing the individual points record for an English player in a Women’s World Cup match. This achievement eclipsed the 25 points scored by Sue Day (vs. Italy in 2002) and Nicky Crawford (vs. Sweden in 1998).
The match was shaping up in favor of England, pitting the powerhouse of women’s rugby against a team of amateur players, many of whom had to take unpaid leave to participate in the World Cup. The “Red Roses”, with professional contracts and the pressure of being the favorites, faced a Samoan team that, despite their “underdog” status, promised to give it their all.
Samoa’s plan for the week was “Mission: Impossible”. Although they showed effort and physicality, they couldn’t stop the “Red Roses”, who made 13 changes to their starting lineup, following their 69-7 victory over the United States the previous Friday. With regular captain Zoe Aldcroft out of the game, Maggie Packer led England from the open side, with Breach and Megan Jones as the only starting players from the match against the United States in Sunderland. Jones stood out again in the outside center, while the scrum-half combination of Lucy Packer and Helena Rowland dismantled Samoa’s defense. Breach also scored three well-deserved tries. The first half followed the expected script. England scored within three minutes, thanks to a pass from Kelsey Clifford to Jones. Samoa, although showing physicality in defense, failed to advance in attack, even with an innovative play in the lineout. Breach’s response with a second try for England was immediate, securing the bonus point before the quarter-hour mark. Sarah Bern and Jones also scored, establishing an early lead. The scrum of the “Red Roses” dominated Samoa, resulting in a try by Feaunati in the 23rd minute. The conditions did not help either team, but England added two more tries before halftime, thanks to Lark Atkin-Davies and Lucy Packer. Samoa finished the first half with a good performance, but without rewards on the scoreboard. Joy arrived for Samoa after a penalty converted by Harmony Vatau, scoring the first points of their World Cup. The public celebrated, but England regained control with a try by Clifford, surpassing 50 points. Breach scored his second try, and Mackenzie Carson achieved the tenth try for England.
