England bounced back from recent defeats by crushing the USA 55-12 in the WXV Global Series at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on Friday. The victory extends England’s winning streak against the USA to 35 years, with the Eagles’ last win dating back to the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
Match Dominated by Moloney-MacDonald and Front Row
Wing Claudia Moloney-MacDonald responded to being dropped from the matchday 23 against Canada by scoring four tries. Head coach John Mitchell praised the Exeter star for her consistency, while strong performances from players like Maud Muir and the front row in the second half provided crucial momentum.
Despite the emphatic victory, England displayed an error-strewn attack in the first half, missing opportunities through knock-ons and rogue passes. The match also featured sparse crowds in the 25,000-capacity New Jersey stadium, hindered by a 5pm kick-off time.
Scoring Details and Future Outlook
Moloney-MacDonald opened the scoring within five minutes with an acrobatic finish and added a second shortly after. Hope Rogers responded for the USA, moving closer to the American women’s all-time points record, but England captain Meg Jones scored to establish a 17-7 half-time lead.
Moloney-MacDonald quickly secured her third and fourth tries in the second period. Following a strong hit on Jones by Alev Kelter, Mia Venner scored for England, before replacement hooker Bryony Field, Maddie Feaunati, and Sadia Kabeya extended the lead into a heavy defeat for the hosts, who also saw co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding hobble off injured.
The fixture marked the final match of the calendar year for both teams, with the USA returning to action at the 2027 Pacific Four tournament. Captain Meg Jones emphasized the valuable takeaways from the tour, noting that opponents are improving and England must become more unpredictable moving forward.
