The Red Roses continued their impressive 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup campaign with a 92-3 win over Samoa at a jubilant cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.
Despite the tricky conditions, England scored 14 tries, courtesy of Megan Jones (2), Jess Breach (3), Sarah Bern, Maddie Feaunati, Lark Atkin-Davies, Lucy Packer, Kelsey Clifford, Mackenzie Carson, Helena Rowland, Marlie Packer and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald - 11 of them converted by Rowland.
The 13,615 crowd didn’t have to wait long to see John Mitchell’s side shine, as Jones crossed under the posts inside the opening three minutes. She ran off Kelsey Clifford’s shoulder, as the prop lifted a pass into her path, and the immediate acceleration she injected into the line left Samoa floundering.
Breach scored her 50th Test try moments later, showing blistering pace to round Davina Lasini, before sliding into the corner. Rowland’s second successful conversion opened up a 14-point lead.
The Samoan defence was fierce, but it could not withstand the constant barrage from the Red Roses - as Bern burst over from close range for England’s third, after a succession of powerful pick-and-goes.
Jones claimed her second try on the 15-minute mark, and Feaunati was the benefactor at the back of a 10-metre scrum turnover try shortly after. The ball was won against the head as England’s pack shunted Samoa over their own line, and Feaunati showed composure and great control to guide the ball past the whitewash before touching it down.
On 30-minutes Atkin-Davies scored off a trademark Red Roses rolling maul from a line out she threw, before scrum half Packer provided England’s seventh try at the base of one-metre ruck making the half-time score 47-0.
The stats at the break showed a one-sided affair as England dominated in all areas, most significantly in metres gained - where the difference was 363m.
Samoa struck first at the resumption, as fly-half Harmony Vatau slotted a penalty - getting her nation’s first points of the Rugby World Cup.
But Clifford restored calm to the Red Roses ranks on 50-minutes, powering over from a short distance, after England had gone the length of the field through some smart open play, and Breach brought up her second of the match after roaming in the midfield and taking a short ball off a shoulder to go over the line untouched.
Replacement Carson brought up England's 10th try, and Rowland got in on the action with 15-minutes left in the Test - crossing in the corner - before converting her touchline effort to bring her personal point haul to 25.
Samoa continued to stick in the fight, putting in some shuddering hits but England's fitness continued to give them opportunities, and they took them. Captain Packer surged over on 70 minutes - Breach confirmed her hat-trick five minutes later, and Moloney-MacDonald crossed in the final play of the game to round off a comprehensive 92-3 win - in what is the most points ever scored by an England Women's team in a Rugby World Cup match.
