Jillaroos on notice as England crush Wales at World Cup

Justin Chadwick |

England, led by the runaway Amelia Brown, have thrashed Wales in their World Cup opener.
England, led by the runaway Amelia Brown, have thrashed Wales in their World Cup opener.

The England women’s rugby league team have warmed up for next week’s World Cup showdown against Australia with a 70-6 trouncing of Wales in their tournament opener.

World No.3 England piled on 13 tries to one at HBF Park on Saturday to ensure their World Cup campaign started with a bang.

World No.9 Wales produced an early shock when Paige Travis crashed over to level the scores in the 10th minute.

But it was all one-way traffic from there, with England running in seven tries to one in the first half to take a 40-6 lead into the break, with Connie Boyd crossing twice.

Anna Davies.
Wales were no match for England, who had seven different names on the tryscorer’s sheet. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

The domination continued in the second half as players from both sides started to tire under the hot Perth sun.

England winger Amelia Brown produced the highlight of the match when she collected the bouncing ball in her own in-goal area and ran the length of the field to score England’s ninth try of the match in the 57th minute.

“She’s got some pace,” England captain Jodie Cunningham said of Brown.

“I’m glad we’ve got Amelia in our side. She does that for fun in the Super League, so great to see her doing that in an England shirt.”

Boyd and Anna Davies both scored hat-tricks, while five-eighth Isabel Rowe crossed twice to go with nine conversions for a match haul of 26 points.

It was the equal-most points by an England women’s player in a rugby league international.

Rowe ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament as a 15-year-old, meaning she was in a knee brace in the stands on her 16th birthday during the last World Cup.

Now 19, she looks set for stardom and will get the chance to show her class when she takes on the might of Australia.

Australia opened their tournament with a 40-0 pumping of Fetu Samoa.

Celebrating England players.
Wales’ first appearance at a World Cup was one they’d like to move on from quick smart. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

But on the strength of England’s display against Wales, the Jillaroos will have work to do when they take on the Lionesses in Perth next Saturday.

Wales captain Bethan Dainton was proud of her team’s efforts in their World Cup debut, despite the lopsided scoreline.

“Frustrating with the scoreline, I don’t think it reflected the game,” Dainton told the Seven Network.

“But lapses of concentration let England through.”

AAP