The England women's rugby side, known as the Red Roses, delivered a spectacular second‑half display that propelled them to a 48‑15 victory against the Wallaroos in the opening match of the WXV Global Series at Salford's CorpAcq Stadium. While the first half was dominated by the visitors, who built a modest 10‑5 lead through a penalty from Samantha Wood and a converted try by Faliki Pohiva, the home team found their rhythm after the break and unleashed a torrent of attacking rugby that left the Australian side reeling.
In the opening minutes, Australia seized an early advantage when England were penalised for holding on. Wood calmly slotted the ensuing conversion, giving the Wallaroos a three‑point edge after just four minutes.
A subsequent try by Meg Jones appeared to level the scores, but a video‑referee review ruled her out for being offside at the moment of the charge down, reinstating Australia’s lead. The early phase of the match was a test of England’s defensive discipline, and the Red Roses struggled to find footing against a well‑organised Wallaroo defence that held firm throughout the first half.
The turning point arrived when Wood was sin‑binned for a deliberate knock‑on. With England reduced to 14 players, the Red Roses capitalised on the numerical advantage.
A quick move saw Sadia Kabeya draw defenders before passing inside to Abi Burton, who powered over for the first England try of the day. Holly Aitchison attempted the conversion but missed, leaving the score at 10‑5 in favour of Australia at the break.
This marked a historic moment for England, as it was the first time in seven years that the Red Roses had trailed at halftime, the previous occurrence dating back to 2019. The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. England emerged with renewed purpose, launching a series of swift, incisive attacks that resulted in four tries within a ten‑minute span.
The first came from May Campbell, who finished a well‑executed line‑out maul to put the hosts ahead 12‑10 after Aitchison’s successful conversion. The surge continued as Meg Jones, who had been denied earlier, finally crossed the line on the 51st minute, capitalising on a perfectly placed Aitchison kick.
Debutante Bryony Field added to the tally just four minutes later, driving a powerful maul over the try line. Two minutes after that, centre Mia Venner broke through on the wing to score in the corner, and on the 61st minute Sadia Kabeya powered over under the posts, capping a relentless period that saw England surge to a commanding 34‑10 lead. Zoe Harrison’s accurate boot added the conversion for the Venner try, extending the margin further. Australia’s woes deepened when Eva Karpani was sin‑binned for an infringement during the build‑up to Venner’s try, leaving the Wallaroos with just 14 players for another stretch.
England took full advantage, with replacement No 7 Lucy Packer exploiting a breakdown to dive over for another try, followed by Harrison’s second conversion of the half, pushing the score to 41‑10. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Karpani returned from the sin bin and managed to score a consolation try for Australia after crashing over from the back of a line‑out, bringing the Wallaroos to 15 points.
However, England were not finished. Claudia Moloney‑MacDonald showcased her speed on the flank, diving over for the final try, while Harrison completed the scoring on the touchline with a flawless conversion, sealing the match at 48‑15. The Red Roses’ dominant performance not only demonstrated their attacking prowess but also underscored their defensive resilience.
After conceding only two tries throughout the game, England’s back‑row and front‑row units repeatedly disrupted Australian ball, forcing turnovers that were swiftly turned into points. The victory extended England’s unbeaten run to 39 matches, cementing their status as the world‑number‑one side and reigning world champions.
Player of the match, scrum‑half Abi Burton, reflected on the experience in an interview with BBC Sport: "It was tough, they made us work for it. We knew we weren't at our best at half‑time, we needed to come out and bring it to them physically because they came out absolutely gunning.
That cohesiveness started to click at the end. There is so much more to come from this team, we've just got a few teething issues to sort out.
It's going to take time for us to get back into it with a shorter pre‑season. But it's about how we adapt quickly and we're ready for the next Test match. We're a different group of players in some aspects, but the messages have always been the same: be the best versions of ourselves and be as cohesive as possible. It's an ever‑evolving Red Roses team." Looking ahead, England will travel to Exeter to face Canada on September 19 before taking on New Zealand at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on September 26.
The emphatic win over Australia provides a strong platform for the Red Roses as they continue their campaign in the WXV Global Series, showcasing a blend of youthful energy and seasoned skill that promises more thrilling rugby in the weeks to come.