Having spent an hour with 14 players because of Lydia Thompson’s red card, the Red Roses had a five-metre line-out from which to maul themselves to glory. Instead, Joanah Ngan-Woo rose just high enough to flick the ball out of Abbie Ward’s grasp.

The World Cup, held in England, kicks off Friday with a match between the host team and the United States. International rugby authorities hope the tournament will mark a turning point for the sport.

England make a statement before the 2025 Rugby World Cup with a dominant 40-6 thrashing of France in Mont-de-Marsan.

England vs the United States takes place on Friday, August 22, 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm BST. The match will be played in front of over 40,000 fans at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. TV channel: Live coverage of the match is available via BBC One. The BBC are the official rights holders to the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.