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

  1. 'Ball-carriers getting over the gainline'published at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2021

    Brian Moore
    Former England hooker on BBC Two

    One thing Simon Middleton will be pleased with is the way the ball-carriers are getting over the gainline. Two or three metres makes a difference.

  2. Postpublished at 34 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    Yep, England regain possession and Ellie Kildunne scrambles towards the 22.

    Prop Hannah Botterman drops the ball and New Zealand will have the scrum inside their half.

  3. 'Shadow Leti-l’iga'published at 15:08 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2021

    Brian Moore
    Former England hooker on BBC Two

    England need to make sure someone is shadowing Ayesha Leti-l’iga because she is the ultimate receiver and the way New Zealand are getting over the gainline.

  4. Postpublished at 32 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    Zoe Harrison's kicks have been a bit hit and miss so far but that is an excellent effort. It slices low through the air and into touch inside New Zealand's half.

    Can England nab another line-out? Get the ball to Abby Dow, job done.

  5. Postpublished at 31 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    New Zealand's scrum holds firm and they swing the ball left.

    It takes two England players to bring down wing Ayesha Leti-l'iga, who has been a standout performer for her side so far.

    Leti-l'iga can't get them there on her own, though, and the Red Roses win a penalty on the floor to once again clear their lines.

  6. 'Line-out disaster'published at 15:05 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2021

    Brian Moore
    Former England hooker on BBC Two

    The New Zealand line-out is a disaster area at the moment. You cannot sustain any momentum if you lose consecutive line-outs.

  7. Postpublished at 29 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    The Black Ferns make amends for their line-out woes with some forwards dominant.

    The maul rolls towards England's 22 and they win a scrum. The Red Roses are backed by chants of 'England' from the crowd as they set up.

  8. Postpublished at 27 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    Wow. New Zealand are having big problems with their line-out.

    Poppy Cleall steals yet another and Zoe Harrison puts a clearing kick to touch.

  9. Postpublished at 25 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    Or maybe not. England are penalised on the floor and New Zealand get the chance to clear their lines.

    The Black Ferns had all the momentum in the first 10 minutes, but England's unexpected first try seems to have buoyed the hosts.

    New Zealand can't make much of a dent in England's defence now.

  10. Postpublished at 24 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    Here we go again. Zoe Harrison bats a kick into the corner and England have a lineout on the 5m line.

  11. Postpublished at 23 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    England's wings are so dangerous.

    An excellent pass from Zoe Harrison finds Holly Aitchison and the centre flicks the ball right.

    It goes through Ellie Kildunne to Lydia Thompson and England are inside New Zealand's 22 now.

  12. Postpublished at 21 mins

    England 12-0 New Zealand

    We are only a quarter of the way through the match but what a statement this is ahead of next year's World Cup.

    England are 12 points up against the holders and hosts.

    And they're off again! Ellie Kildunne makes a break to get up to the halfway line.

  13. 'Brilliant from Abbie Ward'published at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2021

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

    This is a brilliant finish from Abbie Ward. Lovely set-up play from her team-mates but she put her body on the line, rides the initial tackle, goes low and pumps her legs to get over.

  14. try

    Try - England 12-0 New Zealandpublished at 18 mins

    Abbie Ward (Con Harrison)

    And again!

    It's all about the Abbies today. First Abby Dow makes the run and again it is Abbie Ward who finishes it off.

    England work through a couple of phases before Ward leaps over from short range.

    This time Zoe Harrison makes the conversion. A 12-point cushion against New Zealand is lovely.

  15. Postpublished at 18 mins

    England 5-0 New Zealand

    Abby Dow is absolutely flying. She only needs the tiniest gap to get down the left wing again and England are just a couple of metres from the tryline now.

  16. Postpublished at 15 mins

    England 5-0 New Zealand

    There has been a lot of set-piece talk from the England camp this week and it looks like all the hard work is paying off as they drive New Zealand back in the scrum.

    A kick gets the Red Roses a line-out inside New Zealand's half and they speed dangerously towards the left wing again.

  17. Postpublished at 15 mins

    England 5-0 New Zealand

    New Zealand are straight back at it, but England win a penalty on the floor.

    Again Zoe Harrison misses touch. This is pretty uncharacteristic from the England fly-half and the Exeter wind might be to blame.

  18. Postpublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2021

    Brian Moore
    Former England hooker on BBC Two

    Poppy Cleall saw New Zealand are not committing players to the ruck and she got over the gainline and everything came from that.

    The Black Ferns have had two or three chances that have gone begging and that is really the first time England have been in New Zealand territory since the first five minutes.

  19. try

    Try - England 5-0 New Zealandpublished at 12 mins

    Abbie Ward

    Unexpected, but wow.

    It looked like Zoe Harrison's pass had gone absolutely nowhere, but incredible hands from Ellie Kildunne released Abby Dow down the left wing.

    The noise in Sandy Park builds as Dow finds Abbie Ward and the lock is through!

    The conversion is missed, but that was amazing.

    Abbie Ward scoresImage source, Getty Images
  20. Postpublished at 11 mins

    England 0-0 New Zealand

    A couple of excellently-placed kicks from England fly-half Zoe Harrison get the hosts some much-needed territory.

    The chase from England isn't great but they do get a lineout inside New Zealand's half. Now it's the Red Roses' chance to put some pressure on.