England dominates World Cup match with a remarkable 92-3 victory, thanks to Jess Breach's hat-trick score
England's Rugby World Cup group stage march continued with a dominant 92-3 victory over Samoa at Franklin's Gardens. The Red Roses, led by coach John Mitchell, set records for the highest number of points scored and the biggest margin of victory in a World Cup match.
The match began with the size of the task becoming evident within the first minutes, as England's precision and power quickly overpowered the Islanders. Megan Jones scored an eye-catching double as England crossed the try line 14 times, with Jess Breach adding a hat-trick to her tally, lifting her total of Test tries to 52.
Samoa's head coach Ramsey Tomokino described the match as "mission impossible", and it seemed that way for the first half. The Islanders' early tackling was ferocious, but England's relentless attack eventually wore them down. Harmony Vatau slotted a penalty for Samoa early in the second half, but it was England's day.
Lucy Packer, Helena Rowland, Kelsey Clifford, Sarah Bern, Maddie Feaunati, Lark Atkin-Davies, and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald all scored tries for England, with Rowland setting a new record with 27 points in the game. Moloney-MacDonald scored a try on the stroke of full-time, converted by Rowland, to secure England's 29th consecutive victory.
Torii Losefo's arrival in the 33rd minute steadied Samoa's scrum, but it was too little, too late. England's superior strength and skill shone through, as they continued their impressive World Cup campaign with a convincing victory. The Red Roses will look to carry this form into their next match, as they aim to defend their World Cup title.
