England beat Australia 48-15 to extend winning streak to 39 matches

England recovered from a five-point half-time deficit to defeat Australia 48-15 in their WXV Global Series opener at CorpAcq Stadium in Salford on September 12. The world champions scored seven tries after the interval to extend their winning sequence to 39 matches, with 9,251 spectators watching the turnaround, according to AAP's report.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAI4BElu6WQ

Australia had earned a 10-5 lead by the break, with Faliki Pohiva scoring a try and Samantha Wood contributing from the kicking tee. AAP reported that the visitors defended effectively despite losing Wood to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on. Abi Burton supplied England's only first-half try and was subsequently named player of the match.

England then scored five tries in a 20-minute spell through May Campbell, captain Meg Jones, Bryony Field, Mia Venner and Sadia Kabeya. Lucy Packer and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald added further tries, while Asoiva Karpani scored Australia's second. The hosts finished with eight tries overall, turning a difficult opening half into a victory by 33 points as their set-piece became increasingly effective.

BBC Sport reported that England had not trailed at half-time since facing France in November 2020. Their recovery combined forward pressure with attacking contributions from the backs: Holly Aitchison, earning her 50th cap, supplied the grubber kick for Jones' try, while the maul helped England regain control. Zoe Harrison kicked three conversions during a match played with the new, smaller size 4.5 ball.

Speaking to BBC Sport, head coach John Mitchell emphasised the value of working through problems in England's first match of the campaign rather than the interval scoreline. He highlighted the opportunity to give all 23 players rugby and the team's 43-point second half. Burton said England recognised they had been below their best and needed a stronger physical response after the break.

England's next opponents are Canada at Sandy Park in Exeter, followed by New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on September 26. The BBC reported that the new WXV Global Series runs from 2026 to 2028, involving the world's top 12 teams and providing competition ahead of the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup in Australia.