The Women’s Rugby World Cup: A Spectacular Start
After a three-year wait, the Women’s Rugby World Cup arrived in England this weekend, and the tournament has begun with a display of high level and emotions.
The action kicked off at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, where England’s Red Roses achieved a resounding 69-7 victory over the United States.
The event continued with Australia’s selection securing their biggest win in a World Cup, Scotland surpassing Wales, Brazil debuting in the tournament, and the Black Ferns facing challenges.
Weekend Highlights
- Will the favorites, England, keep their cool?
- Ilona Maher’s performance.
- Tournament highlights.
- Other important stories.
Can England Keep Patience?
The anticipation surrounding the Red Roses is undeniable. The rugby public adores them, and the cheers that greeted each player’s name in Sunderland echoed throughout the stadium. Ellie Kildunne was the most acclaimed, followed by Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, and Emily Scarratt. The team has had to deal with disappointment since the 2022 World Cup final, and the pressure to perform in their home country is high.
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So far, so good. Coach John Mitchell commented that the week before the match against the United States was long and that they had to control the players’ energy. Excitement overcame nerves. As victories advance, so do the questions about the pressure they face to live up to their favorite status.
“We want to increase the pressure and be firmer in our defense,” Mitchell said. “All the threats that came to us were the ones we expected. We are hunted, and we love being hunted.”
John Mitchell
England defeated the United States in their first match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Friday.
Mitchell explained that they know that each team will try to give an extra “10 or 15%” to try to dethrone them. The depth of the English team is envied by all other countries. Getting the first victory was key, and they are expected to comfortably beat Samoa. The real challenge could come in the semi-finals, so they must control their impatience. So far, they seem to handle the pressure brilliantly. Their captain, Zoe Aldcroft, is calmness personified, and they will continue with their mantra of “going match by match” until, they hope, September 27th.
As Mitchell said: “We have just begun and still have a lot of room to grow.”
Ilona Maher is one of the most prominent figures in the tournament.
Those who attended the England vs. United States match on Friday not only saw the hosts start the tournament in style, but also had the opportunity to see Ilona Maher in her first XV World Cup. A great ovation resounded in Sunderland when her name was announced before the match. Although the United States struggled to gain a foothold in the game, Maher had standout moments, with impactful tackles and some impressive runs, including one in which she literally dragged two English defenders, advancing about 20 meters to put her team in the lead.
Attention on social media has been intense since the match, and the excitement for Maher is official.
Instagram post description: “NFL or NBA? Lomu or Habana? Ilona Maher answers ‘You have to answer’.
Instagram post description: “Beyonce or Taylor Swift? Dogs or cats? US rugby star Ilona Maher takes part in ESPN’s ‘You have to answer’.”
Tournament Highlights
Ellie Kildunne’s magic to set up Jess Breach’s try.
Other Featured Stories
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 to South Africa in Northampton. The South American team has recruited heavily from its sevens program, with 11 Olympians 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 marked a milestone with a significant 38-8 victory over Wales on Saturday, amidst uncertainty about some players. Francesca McGhie achieved a hat-trick in the victory with six tries, with Scotland heading towards securing their place in the quarter-finals, but it is their off-field situation that has dominated the preparation, with problems related to the players’ contracts. Winger Rhona Lloyd has said that “more than half” of the World Cup squad will be without a contract 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: The Haka is an essential part of the Rugby World Cup! New Zealand performed the Haka before the start of the match against Spain in their Women’s Rugby World Cup match.
The Black Ferns: The Black Ferns began the defense of their Women’s Rugby World Cup title with a 54-8 victory over Spain. Although the score suggests a relatively comfortable afternoon for the Black Ferns, it was not at all, with the 7,458 spectators enjoying an entertaining afternoon of rugby that saw New Zealand reduced to 13 players.
The Wallaroos’ hat-trick heroine: The Wallaroos 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 throughout the match, moving from her left wing to the right on several occasions, before finishing three impressive team-work tries. They hope she recovers from a head knock in time for their decisive tournament 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, center Cecilia Smith took Player of the Match honors for her great performance. Playing only a handful of minutes throughout the entire 2021 tournament (played in 2022), Smith played the full 80 minutes on Saturday and will be vital to the Wallaroos’ progress to the quarter-finals.
