England vs New Zealand LIVE: Final score, result and latest reaction as Red Roses run riot
Simon Middleton’s side overpowered the Black Ferns in a record-breaking victory to lay down a marker ahead of next week’s Test as the teams run it back
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Your support makes all the difference.England ran riot to clinch a record victory over New Zealand in the first of two colossal Test matches between the sides.
Simon Harrison’s outfit thrived behind Zoe Harrison’s excellent disply as the No 1 ranked side in the world outclassed the world champions.
Tries from Abbie Ward (2), Ellie Kildunne, Lark Davies, Holly Aitchison, Abbie Dow and Harrison added to the Black Ferns’ misery.
Aitchison was filling in for the injured Emily Scarratt, making an impressive debut after starring at the Olympics in sevens.
“We’ve got them next week as well. We can’t get complacent. We need to look what we can do better for next week,” Harrison told BBC Sport.
“Today we were really looking at ourselves. Even in the Six Nations we’ve been looking towards the World Cup.”
While Emily Scarratt insists the victory will make next week’s contest even more intriguing: “Unbelievable. You could see that England really wanted to come out here and make a point. The Black Ferns were undercooked, it’s their first game back in a long time. It’s going to be a cracker next week.”
Abbie Ward stars
Abbie Ward was outstanding in that first half. She has been in outstanding form for Bristol and with those two tries, plenty of lineout disruption and a busy performance around the field, she’s been instrumental in establishing England’s half-time lead.
The most that the Black Ferns have trailed by at half-time in their previous 99 Tests? 12 points. Plenty to do for Glenn Moore’s team. Can they turn it around? The players are back out there...
HT: England 17-0 New Zealand
England were always likelier to start the stronger but the Black Ferns have looked very below-par so far, loose at the lineout, stumbling at scrum-time and unable to convert their chances in the England half into points. The Red Roses have made them pay with some excellent manipulation of width, getting the ball in the hands of their flyers. Holly Aitchison has slipped into the midfield well, an extra pair of linking, creative hands and England have got the ball wide at will. It’s been very, very impressive.
TRY! ENGLAND 17-0 New Zealand (Ellie Kildunne try, 40 minutes)
Another lineout steal and England capitalise! Try number three of the half and what a way to finish the first 40 for Simon Middleton’s side.
A springy leap and big left paw from Zoe Aldcroft had nicked the ball at the set-piece, with England swiftly moving the ball wide. Ellie Kildunne’s snaking hips befuddle two would-be tacklers and she sashays between the pair of them through only the tiniest glimmer of a gap, dotting down with a firm one-handed plant. Zoe Harrison misses the mark from the tee but that try caps a mighty fine first-half display from the Red Roses.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 38 minutes
England make yet more metres down that left side, with the ever-pleasing sight of a jinking and jiving Sarah Bern in the open field, the tighthead so often devastating in space. She is forced to offload and when England stall slightly Lagi Tuima is happy to play the percentages with a poke beyond Ayesha Leti-I’iga and ask New Zealand to throw a pressure lineout as the end of the half nears.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 37 minutes
The Black Ferns miss touch, though, and England try to launch a counter. Abby Dow’s offload is ruled forward to end it as England again attack down that left edge. There’s plenty of space out there, still.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 36 minutes
Another steal from England and they make good early progress as Poppy Cleall charges hard, before the deceptively strong Lydia Thompson beats a couple off her wing. But a firm hit from Eloise Blackwell rocks Marlie Packer right into the path of the waiting arms of Pip Love, who forces the flanker to hold on.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 35 minutes
Right, another scrum - New Zealand get a nudge on but make a hash of their hook and the ball squirts out beneath English feet, with Claudia MacDonald passing swiftly to the blindside. Zoe Harrison chips ahead and into touch. New Zealand back inside their own 22.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 33 minutes
A chance perhaps goes begging for England, again looking to have advantageous numbers to the outside as New Zealand over-tighten their defensive line. A loose pass from Zoe Harrison hits Hannah Botterman’s ankles rather than the loosehead’s chest, though, and the chance to flick it on to a looping Lagi Tuima is missed as Botterman is forced to fumble. England had a huge overlap if Botterman could have pivoted the ball on, but that was a poor pass from Harrison.
England 12-0 New Zealand, 32 minutes
That’s not one of Kendra Cocksedge’s most aesthetically pleasing kicks, a horrible hacked slice from just inside her own half. Tough to see what the brilliant scrum-half was even attempting. England will have a lineout and a chance to build another attack as it sails over the touchline without coming to earth.
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