England dominates USA 69-7 in Women’s Rugby World Cup opener before record crowd

England's Red Roses launched their 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup campaign with a commanding 69-7 victory over the USA at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, setting a tournament record crowd of over 42,700. Despite some early handling errors and nerves, England dominated through a strong scrum, effective ruck ball, and a balanced attack led by standout players Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Jess Breach, and forwards like Sadia Kabeya and Hannah Botterman. Coach John Mitchell described the match as akin to a pre-season friendly, emphasizing that the team sees room for growth and improvement as the competition intensifies, particularly with strong teams like Australia and New Zealand in the tournament. England's fitness and tactical execution improved in the second half, allowing them to score 11 tries in total and extend their winning streak to 28 games, including 21 consecutive wins over the USA. The USA struggled to sustain their initial efforts, especially after a key player was sin-binned, and were overwhelmed by England's physicality and strategic play. England now looks ahead to their next match against Samoa, confident but aware that tougher challenges lie ahead as they pursue World Cup glory on home soil.