World number one women’s side England got their World Cup campaign off to a lightning start as they claimed a mammoth 84-19 win against Fiji on Saturday at Eden Park.
The Red Roses were out of the blocks quickly as wing Claudia Macdonald scored after being played in by scrum-half Leanne Infante as Emily Scarratt failed to convert.
Hooker Amy Cokayne scored an unconverted try from the back of a maul in the 18th minute before second-row Abbie Ward crashed over nine minutes later. Scarratt was on hand to convert England’s third try.
Fiji responded with their first try at a Rugby World Cup in the 42nd minute despite being a player down through wing Alowesi Nakoci while Lavena Cavuru was on hand to convert from the kicking tee.
Both sides added another try each before half-time after flank Helena Rowland scored a converted try for England, with centre Sesenielli Donu scoring for Fiji as Cavuru made no mistake with the conversion to take the score to 24-14 at half-time.
England started the second period exceptionally well, scoring four tries in 13 minutes as Cockayne scored a second while Zoe Aldcroft crashed over, and Lydia Thompson scored twice. Scarratt managed to convert two of the four tries.
There was no stopping the Red Roses as MacDonald and substitute Abby Dow added to the scoreboard with tries of their own.
MacDonald would go on to score two more in the final quarter to take her tally to an impressive four on the day, while Leanne Infante and Connie Powell also crossed the whitewash.
Fiji had the last say in their World Cup debut match as Cavuru scored an unconverted try to finish the game.
Hosts start strong against Wallaroos
Hosts New Zealand started their World Cup with a 41-17 win against Australia at a sold-out Eden Park on the tournament’s opening day.
However, it was Australia who made their mark first, with Bienne Terita and Ivania Wong seeing the Wallaroos to a 17-0 lead early on.
Terita would score again before the Blacks Ferns managed to score two tries through Joanah Ngan-Woo and Portia Woodman before half-time.
Woodman would score her second soon after half-time before Awihina Tangen-Wainohu scored a try, with Woodman completing her hat-trick and Ruby Tui adding a brace to earn New Zealand their bonus point.
France down South Africa
France started their World Cup campaign with a solid 40-5 win over South Africa as scrum-half Laure Sansus scored a brace of tries.
Sansus opened the scoring within the first two minutes as fly-half Caroline Drouin converted before centre Gabrielle Vernier scored a try of her own in the 11th minute.
Despite South Africa trying to get a foothold in the game, France scored again in the 17th minute through wing Emilie Boulard for a converted try to take the score to 19-0.
South Africa managed to avoid conceding any points as they were reduced to 14 players after a Sizophila Solontsi yellow card in the 29th minute and were the first team to score in the second half through Nomawethu Mabenge. The try was uncovered.
Sansus completed her brace in the 67th minute scoring a bonus point try that was converted by substitute Lina Queyroi.
Drouin scored a try of her own before wing Joanna Grisez crossed the whitewash on her Test debut for a converted try to round out the scoring.
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