"History Made" - 5 Things You Missed: England 69-7 USA - Women's Rugby World Cup

The Red Roses have started their 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup campaign in stunning form, with an 11-try demolition of the United States. It's a statement win from England, who are out to win their first Women's Rugby World Cup since 2014.

England got the try-scoring started after just eight minutes, as Sadia Kabeya bagged the first points of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup. The back row was on hand to ground the ball at the back of a powerful line-out drive rolling maul.

Hannah Botterman then bagged England's second score, with the plaudits going to Meg Jones' cross-field kick and Abby Dow's kick-chase in the build up. The Red Roses did not have it all their own way, as USA lock Erica Jarell-Searcy broke free from Jess Breach and Natasha Hunt to score a stunning solo try.

USA then dropped down to 14 players, as centre Alev Kelter illegally disrupted Hunt at the back of a ruck. England made the most of the extra player, as Maud Muir drove over for a try from close range, before Ellie Kildunne capped off a blistering break following collaboration out-wide with Breach. England fly half Zoe Harrison nailed all four first half conversions, for a 28-7 half-time lead.

England wasted no time getting the try-scoring back underway, as Abby Dow crossed over from close range. A series of short forward picks pinned USA on their try-line, before Tatyana Heard shipped a pass to Dow for a dive over the whitewash. Harrison's perfect form off the tee came to an end, as she missed the conversion from out wide.

Kildunne bagged her brace at the 48th minute, as she chased up Breach's grubber kick with a nice touch of her own. The fullback gathered and grounded the ball, with Kate Zackary thumping the Harlequin the extra yard towards the try-line. Harrison's conversion went post-and-in, as she found her shooting boots.

England hooker Amy Cokayne was next upon the score-sheet, following a nice strike move from a line-out. Breach then went over in the corner, as Kildunne unselfishly gave up a hat-trick at 57 minutes for the wing to walk-in out wide. Lark Atkin-Davies was the first replacement over the try-line, as she scored from close range at the hour.

There was another piece of eye-catching skill from the one and only Ellie Kildunne, as the Quins star stubbed a kick along the left wing, gathered with a touch off her knee, before supplying an assist to Jess Breach for the wing's brace. Mesmeric stuff from the 2024 World Player of the Year, before Atkin-Davies carried England over to ground the Red Roses' eleventh try from a rolling maul for the final action at the Stadium of Light.

The opening match of the biggest ever Women's Rugby World Cup was always going to bring around some firsts, with history made from the opening whistle in the Stadium of Light. The home of Sunderland Football Club hosted it's first ever game of international rugby, with the Black Cats' den transformed into a stellar amphitheater of first-class rugby action for a barn-storming 80 minutes.

The decision to host a rugby match at this venue for the first time in rugby union history, falls into how World Rugby have worked tirelessly to make all the venues within a two-hour journey of 90% of England's total population. It's a rareity to bring a rugby match to the North East outside of Newcastle's Kingston Park home, with the fans of the newly minted Red Bulls making the brief journey across Tyne and Wear rivers to get behind the Red Roses for this opening pool stage triumph.

Records were made to be broken and the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup has delivered a upon the opening night. A new attendance record was set for a Women's Rugby World Cup match, with 42,723 fans jam-packed into Sunderland's Stadium of Light. This capacity beat the previous record of 42,579 fans that watched on in Auckland's historic Eden Park, as the Black Ferns defeated England in the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup Final.

This is such a statement of intent for the remainder of the tournament, as the opening pool stage match has already set a new best for the tournament to push on to new heights. The capacity crowd on hand in England's North East were ecstatic to hear the news with a resounding ovation accompanying the announcment over the PA systems. The hope is that the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup Final is a set to be a sell-out at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham with 82,000 fans out to set a new record at HQ.

One of the loudest cheers of the pre-match squad announcements did not go to a Red Roses player, despite the home crowd that backed England in their Women's Rugby World Cup opener. The social media sensation Ilona Maher recieved a resounding ovation from the Sunderland faithful, as her name was read out over the loudspeakers at the Stadium of Light.

After an albeit brief run in the PWR with Bristol Bears, Maher had quite the vocal fan base, with both England and USA supporters excited to catch a glimpse of the powerhouse centre. Despite the rumours that Maher may be set for a career change to the professional wrestling world of WWE, the midfielder blocked out all the distractions for the USA's opening match of the tournament.

Whilst Maher ran out with 13 on her back, the sevens star stepped up at first reciever upon the USA's attacking drives. Maher showcased some strong passing in the early goings, before giving the fans what they wanted. Maher churned up the turf and battered past England defenders, with her brute strength requiring three Red Roses to bring her down. Maher pinned her ears back for a crushing carry into Ellie Kildunne which sent the to-be Player of the Match back 6m with sheer force.

The Player of the Match from the opening clash for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup was none other than Ellie Kildunne. England's enigmatic outside back was ever-present at the Stadium of Light, with the Harlequin backed with an abundance of support the second she first got her hands on the ball.

Kildunne kept the score-board ticking over as she bagged England's fourth try, with some excellent link play with Abby Dow, before then showcasing her blistering pace to cap the try off with the 'lasoo' celebration. As mentioned in the Maher installment, Kildunne came off feeling the effects of a collision with the USA centre, yet the fullback recovered to finish strong with a brace of her own, that could well have been a hat-trick or even four tries.

Kildunne's work rate is as dynamic as her speed, as she chased down the ball following Jess Breach's kick into the back-field, and carried over the try-line from Kate Zackary's covering hit. Kildunne's world-beating talents was showcased as she collected her own touch-line grubber with a touch off her knee, and the Harlequin would have been well within her rights to finish off the try by herself. However, the fullback once again shipped an unselfish pass to Breach, as the wing bagged herself a brace.

Despite scoring two tries, providing the Red Roses with two assists and earning the Player of the Match award from the commanding victory, Kildunne immediately turned the attention away from her accomplishments. Kildunne credited England's forward pack for setting a dominant base to the structure, with Kildunne quick to express how every player from 1 to 23 was required for the win.

There was a moment of concern for the Red Roses, as England captain Zoe Aldcroft found herself on the deck and receiving some medical attention. The lock came off feeling the effects of a heavy collision with USA skipper Kate Zackary, as the back row charged on to a pop pass from Abbie Ward. The clash of captains saw Aldcroft recieve some strapping upon her knee, yet the England star was able to carry on until her departure at the hour mark.

After the match, England head coach John Mitchell was joined in the post-match press conference by his skipper, with Aldcroft quick to down-play any concerns around an injury. It was a succinct and simple response from the three-peat winning Gloucester-Hartpury captain, as Aldcroft said; "I'm fine, don't worry about me!" It's certainly a relief for fans of the Red Roses, to understand that their peerless captain will stay at the helm for the Rugby World Cup.