Women’s Rugby World Cup: England dominates and other surprises on day 1

After a three-year wait, the Women’s Rugby World Cup arrived in England this weekend, offering a top-level sporting spectacle.

Explosive Start at the Women’s Rugby World Cup

The action began with an impressive demonstration at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, where England’s Red Roses dominated the United States with a resounding 69-7 victory. But the excitement didn’t stop there. Australia secured their biggest World Cup win, Scotland overcame Wales, Brazil debuted in the tournament, and the Black Ferns had to give it their all. Here’s a look at the opening weekend of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Can England Keep Calm?

Expectations for the Red Roses team are unavoidable. The rugby public adores them, and the cheers and roars that greeted each player in Sunderland echoed throughout the stadium. Ellie Kildunne was the most acclaimed, closely followed by Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, and Emily Scarratt. This team has had to deal with disappointment since the 2022 World Cup final, and the pressure to perform in their country is enormous.

• Hannah Botterman from England: “I want to be the best prop in the world.”

• England sets the pace at the start of the WRWC.

• Writers’ Q&A: Is England the favorite? Players to watch?

• Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025: Team lists, matches, rankings.

So far, so good. Head coach John Mitchell commented that the week before the match against the United States was intense, and they had to control the players’ energy. It was more excitement than nervousness. As victories come, so do questions about the pressure they face to live up to their favorite status.

“We want to increase the pressure and strengthen ourselves a little more in our defense. All the threats that came towards us were what we expected. They pursue us, and we love that they pursue us”.

John Mitchell

England defeated the United States in their opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Friday. Mitchell explained that they know each team will seek an extra “10 or 15%” to try to overthrow them. The reality is that England’s depth is the envy of all other nations. Getting the first victory was key, and they are expected to comfortably surpass Samoa. The risk is that their true test will only come in the semi-finals, so they must control their own impatience. But so far, they seem to be handling the pressure brilliantly. Their brilliant captain, Zoe Aldcroft, is the epitome of calm, and they will continue to repeat their mantra of “taking each game as it comes” until, they hope, September 27th. As Mitchell said: “We’re just getting started and still have a lot of room to grow.”

Ilona Maher in the Spotlight

Those who attended the England vs. USA match on Friday night not only saw the hosts kick off the tournament in style, but also got to see Ilona Maher in her first XV World Cup. A huge ovation rang out in Sunderland when her name was announced before the match. While the United States struggled to gain a foothold in the game, Maher had standout moments, with forceful tackles and impressive runs, including one in which she carried two English defenders with her, advancing about 20 meters to put her team in an advantageous position. Social media lit up after the match. The Maher craze is already here.

Highlights: The Magic of Ellie Kildunne

Ellie Kildunne’s pure magic to set up Jess Breach.See more

Pure Ellie Kildunne magic to set-up Jess Breach. 🤩✨#BBCRugby #RWC2025 pic.twitter.com/Ie0CvHjn8f

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 24, 2025

Other Tournament Highlights

Brazil’s debut at the Women’s Rugby World Cup: Brazil played their first match at the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Sunday, losing 66-6 against South Africa in Northampton. The South American team has recruited heavily from its sevens program, with 11 Olympic athletes in the squad. While they were outmatched by South Africa, qualification marks a great moment for Brazil as a rugby nation and is a sign of the growth of the game worldwide. They will face European powerhouse France in Exeter next week, before finishing their Group D campaign against Italy in Northampton on September 7.Scotland overcomes off-field issues: Scotland made the difference with a significant 38-8 victory over Wales on Saturday, amidst great uncertainty surrounding some players. Francesca McGhie achieved a hat-trick in the six-try victory, with Scotland advancing to secure their place in the quarter-finals, but it is their off-field situation that has dominated the preparation, with problems surrounding the players’ contracts. Winger Rhona Lloyd has said that “more than half” of the World Cup team will not have contracts at the end of the tournament. It may be a distraction off the field, but on it, Scotland made a big statement with the victory against Wales.The Haka: I love to see it! New Zealand performs the Haka before the start against Spain in their Women’s Rugby World Cup match.See more

Love to see it! 👏👏New Zealand bring out the Haka ahead of kick-off vs Spain in their Women’s Rugby World Cup tie! pic.twitter.com/ZyCeXm6t3m

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 24, 2025

It wouldn’t be a Rugby World Cup without the Haka! The Black Ferns began the defense of their Women’s Rugby World Cup title with a 54-8 victory over Spain. While the score suggests a relatively comfortable afternoon for the Black Ferns, it wasn’t, as the 7,458 people present enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of rugby that saw New Zealand reduced to 13 players.Wallaroos hat-trick hero: The Wallaroos have kicked off their World Cup with a 73-0 thrashing of Samoa in front of a raucous crowd in Manchester, with star Desiree Miller scoring a hat-trick on her World Cup debut. Miller was everywhere during the encounter, switching from her left wing to the right on several occasions, before finishing with three stunning team-work tries. They are hoping she recovers from a head knock in time for their tournament-defining clash against the United States on Saturday. Her 18-year-old teammate Caitlyn Halse was also very impressive on her World Cup debut, scoring two of her own and setting up her teammates for several more. Meanwhile, centre Cecilia Smith took Player of the Match honours for her great performance. Playing only a handful of minutes throughout the 2021 tournament (played in 2022), Smith played the full 80 minutes on Saturday and will be vital to the Wallaroos’ quarter-final push.