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Record-breaking England crush Scotland to reach semis

football14 September 2025 17:42| © AFP
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Tournament favourites England set a new record of 31 straight test wins as they stormed into the semifinals of the Women's Rugby World Cup with a 40-8 thrashing of Scotland in Bristol on Sunday.

Victory meant England – unbeaten since losing the 2022 World Cup final – broke their own record of 30 successive victories.

Event hosts England will now play France, who edged out Ireland 18-13 earlier in the day, in a Bristol semifinal a week on Sunday.

Les Bleues pushed the Red Roses close before England won 43-42 at Twickenham during the Women's Six Nations in April.

Scotland, who last beat England in 1999, opened the scoring on Sunday through Helen Nelson's penalty.

But that was as good as it got for Scotland, with England running in four tries in the first half to lead 26-3 at the interval.

England, who have not won the World Cup since 2014 and have lost five of the last six finals to New Zealand, were buoyed by the return of captain Zoe Aldcroft from injury.

The Red Roses, however, were missing full-back Ellie Kildunne after the 2024 World Rugby player of the year suffered a concussion against Australia last week.

England hammered Scotland 59-7 in this season's Six Nations but it was the Dark Blues who opened the scoring through Nelson's penalty.

It was largely one-way traffic from then on, however, as England, playing classic wet-weather rugby, with fly-half Holly Aitchison kicking intelligently out of hand, scored two converted tries in three minutes to lead 14-3.

Kelsey Clifford spun out of a tackle to power over, showing England's depth at prop in the absence of injured star front row Hannah Botterman.

England lock Morwenna Talling, well supported by Sadia Kabeya added another try in the 15th minute before outstanding wing Abby Dow, after more good work by the forwards, was left in a huge amount of space to score her 50th test try.

EMOTIONAL

Clifford then forced her way over again on the stroke of halftime.

More power play early in the second half saw Amy Cokayne score a try off the back of a maul.

Scotland, who opened the tournament with an impressive 38-8 win over Wales, were simply outclassed by a superior England side that went fully professional long before the Dark Blues introduced any paid contracts for their players.

There was an emotional moment when Jake Konkel, Scotland's first professional women's player, left the field in floods of tears when replaced in the 47th minute in what is set to be the No 8's final match before retirement.

Aitchison scored England's sixth try in the 64th minute, after taking an inside pass from replacement Zoe Harrison

The stand-off then converted her own score, having already added the extras for all of England's previous five tries.

Scotland had the last word with a try from wing Rhona Lloyd but by then the 80 minutes were up on the clock, with the result long since decided.

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