BRIGHTON – Favourites England were made to work hard for their 47-7 victory against Australia at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium on Saturday, topping Pool A with their opponents also going through to the last eight of Rugby World Cup 2025.
Story of the match
Australia, knowing they would join England in the quarter-finals ahead of the USA with a defeat by 74 points or less, struck first, Adiana Talakai finishing a well-worked try off the back of a driving lineout.
But England hit straight back, Jess Breach marking her 50th cap with her 51st, and probably easiest, test try.
The rest of England’s victory was built on their superior forward power, particularly in the scrum. Australia defended heroically but had no answer the the hosts’ relentless physicality.
England scored six more tries, with Sadia Kabeya and replacement prop Kelsey Clifford both touching down twice, to make it a record-equalling 30th victory in a row as a sell-out 30,443 crowd partied in the evening sunshine.
Stat of the Day
1 – the number of times England have lost in their past 60 test matches. That was the Rugby World Cup 2021 final (in 2022) to New Zealand.
Next steps
Both face quarter-finals at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium next weekend, Australia playing Canada on Saturday while England take on Scotland on Sunday.
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