NORTHAMPTON, England -- England hammered Samoa 92-3 in the Women's Rugby World Cup on Saturday in Northampton and broke several records in the process.
The Red Roses were overwhelming favourites for the second round Pool A clash and ran in 14 tries -- including a hat trick from Jess Breach -- in front of a crowd of 13,615 at Franklin's Gardens.
The eventual scoreline set a record for the Red Roses in the World Cup, as the rout exceeded their 82-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the 2010 edition, while they also surpassed their previous record of points scored from their 84-19 win over Fiji in 2022.
Helena Rowland converted 11 of England's 14 tries and coupled with her own score, that 27-point tally saw her edge past the most points scored by an England player in a Women's World Cup match, surpassing the 25 scored by Sue Day (vs. Italy in 2002) and Nicky Crawford (vs. Sweden in 1998).
The match was always going to be stacked in England's favour given this was the sport's most-dominant side against a team of amateur players, many of whom had to take unpaid leave from their day jobs to participate in this World Cup.
So it was the Red Roses on their professional contracts and with the pressure of being tournament favourites against a side who were aware of their underdog status but were vowing to give it their all. Samoa's theme for the week was "Mission: Impossible" and while they never wanted for effort or physicality, they were simply unable to stop a Red Roses side who showed 13 changes from their opening round 69-7 win over the USA last Friday.
With regular captain Zoe Aldcroft sidelined for the rest of the pool stages, Maggie Packer skippered England from openside with just Breach and Megan Jones remaining from the starting team that faced the USA in Sunderland. Jones was exceptional in outside centre again, while the half-back combination of Lucy Packer and Helena Rowland unpicked Samoa's defence. Breach also grabbed a well deserved trio of scores after being a constant danger throughout.
The first half played out to script and expectation. England scored after just three minutes as Jones glided over after a neat pass from loose-head Kelsey Clifford. Samoa packed plenty of physicality in defence, but failed to make inroads in attack, despite unveiling a (failed) innovative lineout move which saw hooker Faith Nonutunu attempt to launch an NFL quarterback-style pass to their midfield. Any Samoan respite was short-lived as Breach flew into the corner for England's second soon after and they had their bonus point sewn up before the quarter with Sarah Bern crossing from close range, and Jones grabbing her second all by the 16th minute of the match.
The records were being checked at this stage and the Red Roses' scrum destroyed Samoa's on their own put-in to turn them and score in the 23rd minute with Feaunati dotting it down.
The conditions were doing little to help either side and England would grab two more before the break thanks to Lark Atkin-Davies and Lucy Packer scoring from close range. Samoa finished the half in the ascendancy -- aided by tight-head replacement Tori Losefo -- but failed to get anything on the scoreboard to reward their endeavour and the passionate support in the stands.
But there were few celebrations quite like the ones which greeted Samoa's penalty just after the break. Having lost their opener 73-0 to Australia, Harmony Vatau slotted the first points of their World Cup with a penalty from 32 metres out.
The players turned to the crowd, delighted, as they returned to their side of the field, and soon that support was on their feet again as Emma Sing knocked-on inside England's half. But the Red Roses soon found their stride again as Clifford bundled over from close range to ease England past the half-century mark.
Breach then got her second and as the Red Roses got further impetus from changing their entire front-row, Mackenzie Carson crossed from close range for what was their 10th score.
Breach and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald continued to make yards on the wing, but it was Rowland who crossed next to bring up a personal tally of 25 points. England emptied the bench but continued their relentless scoring with Marley Packer crossing in the 70th minute, and Breach grabbing her third in the 74th minute as she outsprinted the Samoan defence to cross in the corner.
Moloney-Macdonald put the finishing touches on the rout as she scored in the final play of the game, with Rowland converting again from out wide to secure her spot in the Red Roses record books.
For Samoa, the defeat means their World Cup will finish in the pool stages, but England are now two from two and eyeing the knockout stages ahead of Australia in Brighton next Saturday.
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