Summary

  • England beat world champions New Zealand 43-12 at Exeter's Sandy Park

  • Hosts retain world number one spot with record-breaking margin of victory

  • Second row Abbie Ward scores twice as England dominate first half

  • Ellie Kildunne try on stroke of half-time gives hosts 17-0 lead

  • Lark Davies, debutant Holly Aitchison, Abby Dow add tries in second half

  • Player of the match Zoe Harrison goes over for seventh try in final attack

Live Reporting

Becky Grey

  1. Sin-bin - Alana Bremner

    England 17-7 New Zealand

    From the highest of highs...

    New Zealand try-scorer Alana Bremner is shown yellow.

    England drive for the line from 5m out.

  2. England 17-7 New Zealand

    England, or more specifically Abby Dow, look unperturbed by New Zealand's early try.

    The wing makes another impressive break as the hosts edge closer to New Zealand's 22.

    Prop Sarah Bern does her best wing impression to make another few metres and then Lagi Tuima is off!

    The centre shows and goes and England are a few metres out now.

  3. England 17-7 New Zealand

    Suddenly England are down to a 10-point lead and that does not feel quite so comfortable against the five-time world champions.

    New Zealand stifle the Red Roses' attack and win a penalty on the halfway line, prompting a bit of pushing and shoving among the forwards.

  4. 'Outrageous skill'

    Natasha Hunt
    World Cup-winning England scrum-half on BBC Two

    That is outrageous! A really lovely bit of skill from Chelsea Alley to get the ball away to Alana Bremner.

  5. try

    Try - England 17-7 New Zealand

    Alana Bremner (Con Cocksedge)

    Absolutely incredible from Chelsea Alley.

    She gets a half-break and chips a kick up for Alana Bremner, who has plenty of room to get over.

    Amazing skill from Alley; not good news for England.

    The conversion is no problem for Kendra Cocksedge.

  6. England 17-0 New Zealand

    New Zealand are hovering outside England's 22. Hannah Botterman barrels through to try and steal the ball on the floor but fumbles it and the Black Ferns attack continues.

  7. England 17-0 New Zealand

    New Zealand have five debutants on the bench, whereas England have a wealth of experience.

    The Red Roses can draw on forwards Amy Cokayne and Vickii Cornborough, with an impressive array of backs in Leanne Infante (previously called Riley), Helena Rowland and Sarah McKenna.

    So there is going to be no let-up for the Black Ferns.

  8. 'Stay composed'

    Head coach Simon Middleton on BBC Two: "We've executed the game plan really well and it's about sticking to our processes in the second half. We've been in this position a lot against New Zealand and we need to make sure we stay composed."

  9. Kick-off

    England 17-0 New Zealand

    Right then. Time to see what that New Zealand response is. Or maybe England will just run away with this one.

    Ruahei Demant gets things going again.

  10. 'New Zealand will be angry'

    Maggie Alphonsi
    2014 England World Cup winner on BBC Two

    New Zealand are the comeback queens. They did it in the Rugby World Cup in 2017 and you cannot underestimate them. They know they need to make a mark being the hosts of the World Cup next year.

    I imagine they will be frustrated and angry and will throw everything at England in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

  11. HT: England 17-0 New Zealand

    It would be lovely to get carried away by this and say England are going to win next year's World Cup.

    But the last time they beat New Zealand was in 2017, a couple of months before they lost to the Black Ferns in the World Cup final.

    So England can expect some sort of kickback from New Zealand eventually, maybe even in the second half.

  12. HT: England 17-0 New Zealand

    A reminder that world number one status is on the line here.

    England need a win or draw to keep top spot, if New Zealand win it will be theirs.

    Just a label, but good bragging rights a year out from the World Cup.

  13. Emily Scarratt
    Injured England centre on BBC Two

    England have come out with really good intensity and are trying to keep the pace high.

    New Zealand will come out a totally different side in the second half.

  14. Half-time

    England 17-0 New Zealand

    A perfect way to end the half and England deservedly head down the tunnel to a standing ovation from the Sandy Park crowd.

  15. Brian Moore
    Former England hooker on BBC Two

    Superb work from Kildunne. It's good running but also poor tackling.

    It all came from England getting over the gainline, recycling the ball quickly and New Zealand running out of numbers.

  16. try

    Try - England 17-0 New Zealand

    Ellie Kildunne

    Amazing run.

    Yet again England steal a line-out and swing the ball across the pitch to the left wing.

    It ends up in the hands of Ellie Kildunne and she seems to repel New Zealand defenders. There are so many black shirts around but the full-back somehow plots a course through them to get over the tryline.

    Another missed conversion from Zoe Harrison.

    Kildunne scores the third tryGetty Images

  17. England 12-0 New Zealand

    England are struggling to make anything happen as half-time draws closer.

    Eventually centre Lagi Tuima - a late addition to the starting XV because of Amber Reed's hamstring injury - punts a kick into touch on New Zealand's 22. Not a bad call given the Black Ferns can't seem to hold on to their line-out.

  18. 'England should have more points'

    Natasha Hunt
    World Cup-winning England scrum-half on BBC Two

    England will be disappointed with the amount of pressure they have had that they've not come away with more points. They've been in the 22 an awful lot.

    EnglandGetty Images

  19. England 12-0 New Zealand

    New Zealand saw England's wings coming this time and Lydia Thompson comes up against a wall of black.

    The hosts are penalised on the floor and that's the end of that attack.

  20. England 12-0 New Zealand

    Repeated efforts at a scrum have taken a bit of momentum at the game but Zoe Harrison chips over the top to try and give us a bit of excitement before half-time.

    Abby Dow gives chase but it's beyond her reach so it will be a New Zealand line-out instead inside their 22.

    And England have stolen it again!