England rout Wales 70-6 in Women’s World Cup group opener
England displayed their attacking firepower in Perth on 17 October 2026, overwhelming debutants Wales 70‑6 in the opening match of Group A at the Women's Rugby League World Cup. Wales opened the scoring early when Paige Travis dived over, giving the visitors a brief glimpse of hope and a 6‑0 lead inside the first ten minutes. The early try came after a series of English handling errors, but the momentum shifted quickly.
England responded with a series of well‑executed moves that produced seven tries before the interval and a total of thirteen by the final whistle. Wing Anna Davies and newcomer Connie Boyd each recorded hat‑tricks, while Amelia Brown added two long‑range scores, including a 109‑metre dash that will rank among the longest tries in women’s rugby league history. Izzy Rowe contributed two tries and successfully kicked nine conversions, amassing 26 points – a tally that equals the record for most points by an England player in a Women’s World Cup match.
The scoring summary read: England – Boyd (3), Davies (3), Brown (2), Rowe (2), Wilson, Dodd, Strange; conversions by Rowe (9). Wales – Travis; goal by Preston. The half‑time scoreboard read 40‑6 in England’s favour.
England coach Stu Barrow praised his side’s reaction after the early setback. “You can’t keep a clean sheet every game, but I thought the response after was really positive,” he said at the post‑match press conference. “It’s a new group with new combinations and timings. Once we settled in after 10 minutes we played nice football. I am pleased we did 70 to 80 % of what I looked for.”
The victory puts England in a strong position to chase a maiden World Cup final appearance. Their next challenge comes against co‑host Australia on Saturday, a side that defeated England 90‑4 in Las Vegas in 2025. Barrow acknowledged the previous loss but insisted the team had learned from it. “We watched Australia with half an eye; our focus was all about today and we were as a group,” he explained. “Our focus now switches to that, so that game will be on at the hotel when we get back, I will watch it properly then. There’s lots of work to do this week, we are looking forward to the challenge.”
In the other Group B fixture on Saturday, co‑hosts Papua New Guinea overwhelmed France 58‑4.
Wales entered the tournament having never played a Women’s World Cup match, and their captain Bethan Dainton had urged the squad to remain competitive despite only 13 international fixtures as a nation. The early try by Travis was a historic moment, but the intensity of England’s attack soon proved too much. Head coach Tom Brindle said the experience will serve Wales well in the long term, even as the gap between the two sides widened in the latter stages of the game.