WXV Round 1 Recap: Ireland stun Black Ferns and England begin title defence in style

There was also a significant upset, as the Black Ferns suffered a shock defeat to Ireland. The Irish win was a narrow 29-27 triumph, and the victory against the reigning World Champions has certainly put the Women's rugby landscape on notice. Following the first round of the three-tiered WXV global tournament, here is a full recap of the action.

England dominated territory and possession from the first whistle, and Lark Atkin-Davis commenced the try scoring after 12 minutes. Ellie Kildunne followed this up with a stunning solo score from near the half way line. The United States retaliated through Alev Kelter's score, as she gathered a chip chase for an impressive effort. Georgia Brock marked her first England start with a try, with first time Red Roses captain Alex Matthews also got on the scoreboard.

The USA rallied back to two tries after the break, as Kelter and Kate Zackary scored either side of England debutant Bo Westcombe-Evans' milestone try. Morwenna Talling, Jess Breach, Kildunne and Ella Wyrwas all then cross the whitewash for England to lay down the Red Roses statement of intent in their WXV title defence.

Canada had a hot start on home soil, as Paige Farries scored inside the first four minutes. Melissande Llorens then crossed for France, but Canada retook the lead in the 23rd minute, as Bermudez scored the first of her two tries. Les Bleues responded through Marine Ménager, who marked her 50th French cap with a try following a 50-22 and quick line-out from Lina Queyroi, to level things up again.

The home side put daylight between the teams before the break, as Laetitia Royer scored from close range and Bermudez grabbed her brace. France struck first after the interval, as scrum half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus’ run drew Les Bleues back within range. However, Royer then scored her second try to restore Canada’s commanding lead. Nassira Konde secured a try bonus point for France, then Canada made sure of the victory with late tries from Emily Tuttosi and Asia Hogan-Rochester, either side of an Alex Tessier penalty.

New Zealand struck first, as hooker Atlanta Lolohea dotted down off the back of a driving maul. Aoife Wafer soon burrow her way over from close range to get Ireland on the board. The Black Ferns stretched their lead to 10-5 with a Renee Holmes penalty, and Wafer struck again. She peeled away from the base of an attacking scrum to power over.

Dannah O’Brien edged Ireland in front with the conversion, before hooker Neve Jones was awarded a try from close range, after a lengthy TMO discussion. Katelyn Vahaakolo hit top gear to bring the Black Ferns back into the match, before Holmes was sin-binned for New Zealand. Ireland capitalised on the extra player as Erin King scored two crucial tries, with Dannah O'Brien adding the match winning conversion.

Japan struck first in the 10th minute of a see-saw first half, as hooker Kotomi Taniguchi profited from a powerful lineout drive. Aseze Hele powered over twice for the Springbok Women, with her two tries either side of Japan fly half's Ayasa Otsuka's score. Chumisa Qawe who burrowed over from close range for South Africa, before loose-head prop Sanelisiwe Charlie slid over the line, to extend the 'Boks dominance on the match.

The Springbok Women stretched the advantage early in the second half, as Ayanda Malinga scored her 11th test try in only her ninth appearance. Japan then responded with two tries in four minutes, through number eight Seina Saito. Vainah Ubisi wrapped up the match as she crashed over following another dominant South African drive, to secure the win for the Springbok Women.

It was the Wallaroos who opened the scoring through Layne Morgan in the 21st minute. Wales were back level 10 minutes later, as Carys Phillips went over at the back of a line-out drive Momentum swing in Australia’s favour on the stroke of half-time, as tighthead prop Eve Karpani brushed off several tackles to score a sensational solo try.

The Wallaroos cut loose in the final 16 minutes, running in a further four tries to take the game away from their opponents. Maya Stewart scored the first and last of that batch of scores, while Faitala Moleka rounding off a fine performance with a try, before replacement Lori Cramer got the other, as well as two conversions.

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm and Italy second row Giordana Duca led out the teams, as they each celebrated earning their 50th caps. Chloe Rollie to slide over in the right corner for Scotland's opening score, following a nice assist from Emma Orr. Scotland doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time as Lana Skeldon touched down following a powerful line-out drive and Helen Nelson supplied the extras in equally impressive fashion.

As the rain lashed down in Cape Town that is how the score remained until the final five minutes, when the defending WXV2 champions created the space for winger Coreen Grant to canter over.

There were barely two minutes on the clock in Dubai when Claudia Peña Hidalgo supplied the pass that allowed Piquero to score her first try of the match. Less than five minutes later, Spain had a second try as Nadina Cisa went over. Captain Cristina Blanco was the next woman in red to cross the whitewash, before Zahia Perez confirmed the try-scoring bonus point in only the 17th minute.

Cisa scored her second try of the match at the end of the first quarter, and Argudo and Carmen Castellucci each added their own tries before the break. It was a similar story after half-time as Piquero bagged her brace and Peña added her own minutes later. Piquero completed her hat-trick in the 54th minute, the score was 69-0. Spain crossed the whitewash twice more before the end, through Maria Roman Mallen and Maria Calvo.

It took Fijiana no time to get up and running, as Ana Korovata powered over inside two minutes. Luisa Tisolo then played in winger Kolora Lomani two minutes later, for back to back attacking blitzes. Fung Hoi-ching disrupted into the Fijian lead with a 15th-minute penalty, to make the score 10-3, and the Pacific Islanders had to wait until the final play of the first half to get their third try,

Number eight Karalaini Naisewa profited from a powerful attacking scrum to dot the ball down over the line. Tisolo’s conversion made the half-time score 17-3. Repeka Adi Tove supplied the all-important fourth try in the 59th minute and there was still time for Sulita Waisega and Naisewa again to go over for additional scores before full-time.

The WXV debutants dominated from the first whistle and twere rewarded for some expansive play with their first try in only the fourth minute, as Linneke Gevers went over. Kievit missed the conversion, but the fly-half soon made up for that with a penalty to stretch the Dutch lead to 8-0.

Samoa offered little in the way of attacking threat in the first half but cut into the Netherlands’ lead in the 26th minute as Siataga struck a penalty through the uprights. Samoa put the Netherlands under huge pressure in the final 10 minutes and the dam finally broke with time in the red as Ana-Lise Sio burrowed over from close range. Dutch full-back Stallmann charged down the conversion kick to preserve the draw.