England’s Red Roses returned to winning ways with a 55-12 victory against a spirited United States side in New Jersey, though the performance left lingering questions regarding their standing at the summit of the women’s game.
England started brightly as wing Claudia Moloney-MacDonald crossed twice in the opening 12 minutes, with her second score set up by a looping pass from fly-half Holly Aitchison. While Mitchell will undoubtedly take positives â Holly Aitchison’s play-making and Maud Muir’s all-action performance among them â he has plenty on his to-do list. Top will be to tune up his team’s set-piece solidity and attacking fluency. And, all the while, the hosts were making headway at the gainline, buying territory with brute physicality – an aspect of the game which is usually England’s trademark. With Hannah Botterman impressing off the bench, Ellie Kildunne weaving up from backfield on her introduction, the tide turning in the scrum and four tries scored in the final quarter, the hosts’ energy was impressive, while England’s endurance and depth told.
However, the sixth-ranked United States stayed competitive far longer than they did during last year’s World Cup opener in Sunderland, even as Alev Kelter landed a heavy hit on England captain Meg Jones. Who were obliterated 69-7 in the opening match of England’s march to the Rugby World Cup last year, stuck in the contest far longer than they did that day in Sunderland, however the United States. Initially at least, more closely contested than expected, the scrum was also. Who came into the match on the back of five-match winning run that includes successes over Ireland and South Africa, hung tough however, the United States. With both the attendance and the playing surface appearing patchy at the 25,000-capacity Sports Illustrated Stadium, organisers will hope to have a more impressive platform in place by the time the Women’s Rugby World Cup is held stateside in 2033.
Moloney-MacDonald eventually ran in four tries to exploit space out wide, but two consecutive losses to Canada prior to this WXV Global Series fixture mean head coach John Mitchell faces a substantial to-do list before their Women’s Six Nations title defense begins in April.
The hosts enjoyed strong spells of territory and possession during the first half.
After Kathryn Treder had an early try ruled out for obstruction following a rolling maul, Hope Rogers burrowed under Maddie Feaunati for a short-range score.
Emma Sing later set up Jones to restore a 10-point lead for England before halftime. According to jones went over after full-back Emma Sing hit a good line to restore a 10-point lead by the break, but the stats below the scoreboard favoured the United, With the hosts enjoying more territory and possession and making more metres with the ball in hand at the interval.
Moloney-MacDonald quickly added her third and fourth tries after the restart to push England 20 points clear.
Despite a late yellow card for replacement prop Mona Lisa Tupou, the United States maintained physical pressure and earned a final-play try when Kate Zackary drove over the line.
Match Details and Scorers
- England Tries: Moloney-MacDonald (4), Jones, Venner, Field, Feaunati, Kabeya
- England Conversions: Sing (2), Harrison (3)
- United States Tries: Rogers, Zackary
- United States Conversions: Vogel
Team Lineups
- United States: Cowdrey; Mataitoga, Henrich, Vogel, Kelter; Mason, Paton; Rogers, Treder, Sagapolu-Senele, Taufoou, Ehrecke, Humphreys, Perris-Redding, Tafuna
- United States Replacements: Stathopoulos, Carlton, Tupou, Jarrell-Searcy, Bailey, Zackary, Bargell, Hann
- England: Sing; Venner, Jones, Heard, Moloney-MacDonald; Aitchison, Robinson; Carson, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ives Campion, Burton, Kabeya, Feaunati
- England Replacements: Field, Botterman, Bern, Short, Matthews, Hunt, Harrison, Kildunne
Important Details
- England (17) 55.
