he USA Rugby Women’s National Team (WNT) dropped its opening match of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup to host England, losing a 69-7 contest inside the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Ellie Kildunne was named Player of the Match, delivering some of the more show-stopping moments for the near-43,000 spectators in attendance. The Eagles now regroup for round two on Aug. 30 against Australia at 2:30 p.m. ET in York.
“There are still two more games,” USA WNT Captain Kate Zackary said. “It’s pool play. We can’t go into a dark space, it’s only day one of the tournament.”
A review of the game stats might suggest a much closer match, but England was more effective with its time and territory on attack. One notable difference was the penalty count, and the USA ceded some opportunities during scrum time. With that said, halftime was only 28-7 in the host’s favor. The hosts put up the first two tries — the first from flanker Sadia Kabeya eight minutes in, and the second from Hannah Botterman at 18 minutes — and they came off the backs of a well executed set pieces and back line moves that opened up space out wide quickly. Zoe Harrison added two of six conversions on the day for a 14-0 lead.
In between were some really nice defensive scrambling from Bulou Mataitoga and Lotte Sharp, a trend that continued throughout the 80 minutes. Mataitoga was also the most exciting player with ball in hand, always running on and having a go on the sideline. She brought was an X factor.
The USA did find success through its offload game, with tip-off passes keeping the ball alive and ballcarriers fending tepid defense. In the 24th minute, flyhalf McKenzie Hawkins moved the ball to Hope Rogers, who connected with Tahlia Brody, who found Mataitoga right off the hip. The wing then sent the skip pass to lock Erica Jarrell-Searcy, who burst through two defenders for a well earned try. Hawkins added the conversion, and it was 14-7 after 25 minutes.
Photo: Morgan Harlow – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images
“Yeah, 14 points scored in that time. We felt we had just wrested the momentum back,” USA WNT Head Coach Sione Fukofuka said. “Unfortunately, discipline is something we need to keep working on. It gives England opportunities, it relieves the pressure and then it went against us, which was tough on the players.”
Alev Kelter was served a yellow card shortly afterward and that lifted England. Meg Jones, who was another solid candidate for MVP of the match, drove ballcarrier Sharp back 10-or-so meters, and that back pedaling allowed England to turnover ball and get back on attack. From a five-meter lineout, the USA did very well to repel England’s goal-line picks, but Maud Muir eventually powered over for the score. The final try of the half occurred on the subsequent restart, which chanced a grubber toward across the England 40 meter. Abbie Ward dove onto the ball to secure possession and then the attack moved swiftly to Kildunne in open space. The fullback pinned the final defender for Abby Dow, and then the wing fed back to Kildunne for the try. Harrison was 4-4 on conversions in the opening 40.
Photo by Morgan Harlow – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images
England went on to score seven more tries in the second half: two apiece from Jess Breach and Lark Atkin-Davies, and one each from Kildunne, Dow and Amy Cokayne. Harrison added two more conversions and Emma Sing kicked one. Notable work included Botterman’s poaching ability and England’s chip-and-chase — a potent weapon in an already fast and aggressive attack. The scrum of course was the Red Roses’ star, causing so much trouble for the Eagle front row. And the defense was patient, allowing the Eagles to play with a lot of ball without breaking. The USA wasn’t without. Ilona Maher had some quality runs and Sariah Ibarra impressed with her intimidated play as a Rugby World Cup debutante.
“For us it is just being accurate and executing in those key moments,” Fukofuka looked toward Australia. “There were times in the first half when we had possession close to the line and didn’t convert. A big thing before Australia is that we are more accurate in those key moments.
“We want to see a team performance through the 80 minutes,” he added. “We are still in the competition to get two wins and a place in the quarterfinals.”
USA Women’s Eagles Roster | USA vs England
1. Hope Rogers – Exeter Chiefs
2. Kathryn Treder – Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
3. Keia Mae Sagapolu – Loughborough Lightning
4. Tahlia Brody – Loughborough Lightning
5. Erica Jarrell-Searcy – Sale Sharks
6. Kate Zackary – Ealing Trailfinders
7. Georgie Perris-Redding – Sale Sharks
8. Rachel Johnson – Exeter Chiefs / Denver Onyx
9. Olivia Ortiz – Sale Sharks
10. McKenzie Hawkins – Denver Onyx
11. Bulou Mataitoga – Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
12. Alev Kelter – Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
13. Ilona Maher – Bristol Bears / USA Sevens
14. Emily Henrich – Leicester Tigers / Boston Banshees
15. Lotte Sharp – Saracens
16. Paige Stathopoulos – Ealing Trailfinders / Boston Banshees
17. Alivia Leatherman – Trailfinders / Twin Cities Gemini
18. Charli Jacoby – Exeter Chiefs / Queensland Reds
19. Rachel Ehrecke – Denver Onyx
20. Freda Tafuna – Lindenwood University
21. Cassidy Bargell – Boston Banshees
22. Kristin Bitter – Denver Onyx
23. Sariah Ibarra – USA Sevens