England faced an unfamiliar challenge during their latest WXV encounter, finding themselves trailing Australia at half-time. It marked the first occasion in nearly six years that the Red Roses had been behind after the opening 40 minutes. However, a transformative performance in the second half saw the team rack up 43 points, ultimately securing a 48-15 victory and extending their impressive winning streak to 39 matches.
The match served as the debut for a new trial involving a size 4.5 ball, replacing the standard size five for all WXV fixtures this autumn. World Rugby introduced this change to evaluate its impact, following similar trials in sevens and youth rugby. Players, coaches, and officials are expected to provide feedback to the governing body once the tournament concludes in October.
Australia proved formidable in the first half, utilizing physical defense and clinical attacking play to disrupt England’s momentum. The visitors, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup, displayed some of their most cohesive rugby to date. England struggled early on, hampered by uncharacteristic handling errors and knock-ons. Fly-half Holly Aitchison, celebrating her 50th cap less than 40 miles from her childhood club, Firwood Waterloo, watched as Australia took an early lead through a Samantha Wood penalty.
While England managed to cross the line through Abi Burton following a deliberate knock-on by Wood that reduced Australia to 14 players, the Wallaroos responded with a try from Faliki Pohiva. Despite a disallowed effort from Brittany Merlo due to obstruction, Australia maintained a well-deserved 10-5 lead going into the interval.
The momentum shifted decisively after the break. May Campbell opened the scoring for England, and the team’s scrum—a pivotal weapon during their 2025 World Cup and Six Nations campaigns—provided the platform for a Meg Jones try. The floodgates subsequently opened as debutant Bryony Field, Mia Venner, Sadia Kabeya, Lucy Packer, and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald all added their names to the scoresheet.
Looking ahead, England must sharpen their performance before facing Canada next Saturday, a rematch of their recent World Cup final. Meanwhile, Australia will look to replicate their first-half intensity against France in hopes of securing their first win since March. The report also notes that but whatever was said in the changing room shook the team to life as they scored 43 second-half points to keep their winning streak going. The report also notes that teams are playing with a size 4.5 ball instead of the usual size five, throughout the WXV matches this autumn. The report also notes that a comeback win after being down at half-time, england had to execute something they have not had to do in John Mitchell’s reign against Australia. The report also notes that england were uncharacteristically poor at times with several knock-ons and other handling errors hampering their attack. The report also notes that at a windy Salford, Australia dealt with the change better. The report also notes that she led the team out and her teammates congratulated her as they lined up for the anthems.
