Arabic version: إنجلترا تقلب تأخرها أمام أستراليا بـ43 نقطة في الشوط الثاني

According to The Guardian, England recovered from a 10-5 half-time deficit to beat Australia 48-15 in WXV, producing 43 second-half points after an error-strewn opening 40 minutes. It was the first time in almost six years that the Red Roses had trailed at half-time.

Australia started strongly in windy Salford, combining clinical attack with physical defence that disrupted England’s front-foot ball. Samantha Wood opened the scoring with a penalty, while England had a Meg Jones try ruled out after Tatyana Heard was judged offside. Abi Burton crossed for England while Wood was in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on, but Faliki Pohiva’s try gave the Wallaroos a deserved interval lead.

England improved immediately after the break as May Campbell scored, with the scrum providing momentum, particularly after changes in the front row. Captain Jones then added a try, before debutant Bryony Field, Mia Venner and Sadia Kabeya also crossed. Replacement scrum-half Lucy Packer produced an acrobatic finish and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald scored the final try of England’s second-half surge.

The match was the first played with a size 4.5 ball, rather than the usual size five, as part of a World Rugby trial across WXV this autumn. Holly Aitchison won her 50th England cap near her childhood club of Firwood Waterloo. England next face Canada, their World Cup final opponents, seeking to extend a 39-game winning run, while Australia will play France.