Summary

  • World champions England fight back in style to beat Australia in opening match of WXV Global Series in Salford

  • England trailed at half-time for the first time since November 2020 after Faliki Pohiva's try put the visitors 10-5 ahead

  • But John Mitchell's side scored seven second-half tries to extend their winning run to 39 successive matches

  • May Campbell's try gave England the lead early in second half

  • Captain Meg Jones, debutant Bryony Field,Mia Venner,Sadia Kabeya,Lucy Packer and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald added further tries as England powered clear

  • Player of the match Abi Burton scored England's only first-half try

  • The Six Nations champions play Canada and New Zealand over the next two weekends

Send us your views

  1. 'I feel so emotional'published at 17:08 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    More from England's Abi Burton, speaking on BBC iPlayer about how much she's enjoying her rugby: "I'm absolutely loving it. I feel so emotional because I'm just a girl from Castleford who is playing rugby in the north for the first time ever in an England shirt.

    "It's just so incredible. My family are here and I just come out every single time trying to be the best person and best version of myself, so maybe one day I'll finish one of those breaks but who knows."

  2. 'We knew we needed to come out and rip back into them'published at 17:07 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    Abi Burton, wearing a dark blue kit, carries the ball in her right hand as she runs around a defender (on her right) wearing yellow shirt and green shortsImage source, Getty Images

    England second row and player of the match Abi Burton, speaking on BBC iPlayer: "It was tough. they definitely made us work for it. The message at half-time was we know that we weren't at our best, so we knew we needed to come out and rip back into them and give it to them physically because they came out absolutely gunning. At the end that cohesiveness started to kick in.

    "There's so much more to come from this team, just a few teething issues we needed to sort out.

    "I think if you look at some of these teams that we're going to end up playing against, they have been playing consistent rugby since their Pac Four Series but for us we've had some time off. It's going to take us time to get back into it with a shorter pre-season but it's about adapting quickly and getting ready for our next Test match.

    "It's a different group of players in some aspects but naturally the message has always been the same. We always strive to be the best version of ourselves, to be as cohesive as possible on and off the pitch. It's an ever-evolving Red Roses team."

  3. Postpublished at 17:04 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    Lucy Packer and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald added two more scores for the hosts in the final 15 minutes, either side of Eva Karpani's consolation try for Australia.

    Media caption,

    Lucy Packer try

  4. Postpublished at 17:02 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    However, England were in relentless form in the second half, with May Campbell crashing over from a driving maul before Meg Jones - who had a try ruled out in the first half - caught a pinpoint kick from Holly Aitchison for their third.

    Media caption,

    May Campbell goes for the try and Holly Aitchison slots the conversion

    Media caption,

    Meg Jones try

    A further three tries followed in a six-minute burst, with debutant Bryony Field, Mia Venner, and Sadia Kabeya putting England out of Australia's reach with 20 minutes to play.

    Media caption,

    Bryony Field try

    Media caption,

    Try for Mia Venner

    Media caption,

    Kabeya try

  5. Postpublished at 16:58 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    Australia opened the scoring in Salford, Samantha Wood kicking an early penalty.

    Although Abi Burton put the Red Roses in front in the 19th minute, Faliki Pohiva sent Australia into the break leading 10-5.

    Media caption,

    Abi Burton opens the scoring for England.

    Media caption,

    Faliki Pohiva Converted Try

  6. Postpublished at 16:55 BST

    Nick Heath
    Commentating on BBC iPlayer

    It's a phenomenal winning record that England are on and they'll take that on against Canada in Exeter next week.

  7. Postpublished at 16:54 BST

    Kat Merchant
    2014 World Cup winner on BBC iPlayer

    England showed exactly why they are world number one and world champions with that comeback performance.

  8. Postpublished at 16:52 BST

    FT: England 48-15 Australia

    Australia kept England at bay for 40 minutes, leading the world champions 10-5 at half-time.

    The Red Roses went into demolition mode after the break, with May Campbell, Meg Jones, Bryony Field, Mia Venner, Sadia Kabeya, Lucy Packer, and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald adding to Abi Burton's first-half score.

    But it's a testament to Australia's defending that England were forced to turn to their destructive driving maul for at least three of those tries.

  9. Full-time - England 48-15 Australiapublished at 16:49 BST

    Georgina Friedrichs bursts down the right wing but her pass inside to Emily Chancellor is knocked on.

    The whistle blows.

    England win 48-15, extending their unbeaten run to 39 matches.

    England’s Megan Jones scores a try during the WXV Global Series match at CorpAcq Stadium, Salford.Image source, PA Media
  10. Postpublished at 16:48 BST

    Kat Merchant
    2014 World Cup winner on BBC iPlayer

    It's that step to then go around the outside that does it for Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. If she goes at full pace she gets taken out. It's world-class.

  11. Postpublished at 80 mins

    England 48-15 Australia

    We're into the final minute. Australia want to leave Salford on a high note, pushing up towards England's 22.

  12. converted try

    Converted try - England 48-15 Australiapublished at 78 mins

    Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (con Zoe Harrison)

    Fast hands! Helena Rowland, Mia Venner, and finally out to Claudia Moloney-MacDonald who races down the left wing and beats a diving Waiaria Ellis.

    Try number eight for England. Zoe Harrison adds the extras.

  13. Postpublished at 78 mins

    England 41-15 Australia

    No shove this time. England are happy to hold firm at the scrum before quickly shifting the ball to the left flank.

  14. Postpublished at 76 mins

    England 41-15 Australia

    Australia debutant Jemma Bemrose is penalised for a knock-on.

    England will have a scrum about 15 metres into Australia's half. Brace for a big shove from Botterman and co.

  15. Postpublished at 16:44 BST

    Katy Daley-McLean
    England's 2014 World Cup winning captain on BBC iPlayer

    The front row have gone well for Australia. Smart line-out play again and it's a good finish from Eva Karpani.

  16. try

    Try - England 41-15 Australiapublished at 74 mins

    Eva Karpani (con missed)

    That's one from the training ground! Eva Karpani collects the drop down and wheels around the front of the line-out before bouncing off three defenders - including Maddie Feaunati - to score Australia's second try.

  17. Postpublished at 73 mins

    England 41-10 Australia

    Zoe Harrison gets under a high kick but is well tackled by Georgina Friedrichs. The England fly-half is pinged for holding onto the ball.

    Australia kick to the right corner for a line-out.

  18. Postpublished at 71 mins

    England 41-10 Australia

    A deep kick into England's 22 dribbles along the touchline. Zoe Harrison gathers and passes inside to Ellie Kildunne, whose spiral kick goes out on the halfway line.

    Australia line-out.

  19. Postpublished at 70 mins

    England 41-10 Australia

    Here come England again. In the blink of an eye, they're into Australia's 22.

    But hang on - a knock-on and Emily Chancellor carries them clear. Australia are nearly back up to the halfway line.

  20. Postpublished at 16:37 BST

    Katy Daley-McLean
    England's 2014 World Cup winning captain on BBC iPlayer

    Zoe Harrison looked so comfortable there again. She missed just two conversions in the Six Nations.