England secured their quarter-final place with a dominant win over Samoa in a hard-fought match that highlighted the contrast between the two teams. Eleven of England's players contributed to their 14 tries, sealing victory with one pool game still remaining. Samoa, with half of their squad fundraising to attend the tournament and others taking unpaid leave from work, faced a far more experienced opponent. England, a fully professional team for over five years, have now won 59 of their last 60 matches.
Winger Jess Breach stood out with a hat-trick, including her 50th try for her country. Centre Meg Jones, originally not in the starting lineup, stepped up after an injury to Emily Scarratt and scored twice, reinforcing her growing influence in the team.
The two sides had not met since 2014, and England had anticipated a physical challenge—a prediction that proved correct as Samoa delivered strong tackles throughout. Rain before kickoff made handling difficult at times, but England wasted little time asserting control, scoring within three minutes. Jones, Breach, prop Sarah Bern, and others extended the lead swiftly, securing the bonus point by the 16th minute.
Further tries followed, including one from scrum dominance leading to Maddie Feaunati’s finish, while hooker Lark Atkin-Davies and scrum-half Lucy Packer also crossed. Samoa’s first entry into England’s 22 late in the first half briefly lifted the crowd, but England held firm, leading 47-0 at halftime.
Samoa opened the second half with a penalty kick by fly-half Harmony Vatau, their first World Cup points in over a decade. The team celebrated exuberantly, marking a rare bright moment. However, England soon resumed control with Kelsey Clifford and Breach adding more tries. Errors in line-outs and knock-ons briefly slowed England, but the victory was never in doubt.
Read next
"Brighton’s inclusivity sets stage for sold-out World Cup weekend"
Brighton Prepares for a Sporting Celebration Like No Other
While Villa Park will draw attention for England’s match against Andorra and Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, few events in global sports this weekend will rival the atmosphere in Brighton. The appeal isn’t just about entertainment or scheduled
"Anisimova clashes with Sabalenka and inner struggles in US Open finale"
Amanda Anisimova’s Resilience Shines Ahead of US Open Final
Amanda Anisimova struggled to keep her emotions in check in the days leading up to the season’s last major tournament. As the American prepared for her first-round match, the weight of her own expectations became a source of intense
"England vs Andorra WC qualifier preview, WSL discussion, and Football League updates – live coverage"
Key Moments
Much of England’s camp has revolved around discussions about the recently concluded transfer period. On Friday, the focus was on Dan Burn’s challenge against Alexander Isak.
Recent Matches
Denmark and Scotland played out a goalless draw in a match that was far from thrilling but still