England Begin WXV1 Title Defence with Nine-Try Victory Over United States

The Red Roses opened their WXV1 title defence in dominant fashion, cruising to a 61-21 victory over the United States in Canada. A nine-try performance led by an impressive debut from Bo Westcombe-Evans ensured England extended their winning streak to 18 matches, maintaining their momentum heading into next summer's home World Cup.

England started slowly but soon found their rhythm, with hooker Lark Atkin-Davies opening the scoring in the first half. Full-back Ellie Kildunne followed up with a sensational solo effort, cutting through the USA defence to score her first of two tries. Despite a response from Alev Kelter, who crossed for the United States, England asserted control with flanker Georgia Brock and captain Alex Matthews adding further tries, giving the Red Roses a comfortable 28-7 lead at halftime.

The USA showed resilience early in the second half as Kelter crossed for her second try, but young winger Bo Westcombe-Evans made an immediate impact on her debut, touching down sharply in the corner to widen the gap. Captain Kate Zackary kept the USA in the contest, scoring her side's third try, but England’s relentless attack proved too much.

Morwenna Talling, Jess Breach, and replacement Ella Wyrwas all added late scores, while Kildunne completed her brace to secure an emphatic victory for John Mitchell's side. Fly-half Holly Aitchison was flawless from the kicking tee, converting eight of England’s nine tries.

Bo Westcombe-Evans, who made her mark with a try on her debut, received high praise from head coach John Mitchell. Inside centre Phoebe Murray also impressed on her first appearance, putting in a composed performance that was noted by her coach. "They both just need to continue backing themselves," Mitchell said. "It's hard coming into a team and having a sense of belonging straight away, but they performed extremely well."

Mitchell also highlighted the remarkable performance of flanker Georgia Brock, who, on her first start, made 22 tackles and 15 carries. "Outstanding performance," Mitchell remarked.

With their commanding victory, England now turn their attention to a showdown against New Zealand, a team they defeated earlier this month at Allianz Stadium. The highly anticipated clash takes place next Sunday at 21:00 BST, as the Red Roses look to continue their unbeaten run and further stamp their authority in WXV1.

The Red Roses have set their sights on defending their title in style, and their resounding win against the USA serves as a strong statement of intent. As the countdown to the World Cup continues, this England side is proving that they are ready to compete at the highest level and defend their WXV1 crown.