England 52-14 United States: England win record 24th Test in a row

Jess Breach scored two of England's eight tries

England claimed a record-breaking 24th Test win in a row as they claimed a 52-14 World Cup warm-up victory against the United States in Exeter.

The World Cup favourites led 45-0 in the second half but had Shaunagh Brown and Helena Rowland sent to the sin-bin late on as the visitors rallied.

England, whose first World Cup game is on 8 October, scored eight tries.

Jess Breach, Claudia MacDonald and Amy Cokayne scored twice each, with Natasha Hunt and Ellie Kildunne also touching down.

Hope Rogers crossed for the visitors before Rowland conceded a penalty try.

The victory in front of 10,907 Sandy Park fans makes the Red Roses the first top-tier international side to win 24 Tests in a row, with their last loss coming against New Zealand in July 2019.

England's second warm-up match will be against Wales in Bristol on 14 September and head coach Simon Middleton will announce his World Cup squad - trimmed from the current 39 to 32 - on 20 September.

England lack clinical edge in first half

Beating France to the Six Nations title after back-to-back wins against New Zealand last year cemented England's status as World Cup favourites, but their usual ruthlessness was missing against the United States.

Despite two early tries from Hunt and Breach, it was a relatively clumsy start as scrum-half Hunt then dropped the ball on what looked like a certain score and wayward line-outs cost a frustrated England further.

Eventually, after United States lock Hallie Taufoou had been shown a yellow card, the Red Roses worked a maul over the line for Cokayne to score her first.

The two home wings provided some positivity as Breach scored a second try by sprinting from inside her own half - as she had done for the first - after MacDonald crossed.

MacDonald thought her rugby career might be over because of a neck injury in late 2021, but returned with an energetic attacking performance.

With Abby Dow set to return from a broken leg in time for England's World Cup opener against Fiji on 8 October and Sarah McKenna, Lydia Thompson and Kildunne other options, Simon Middleton has tough decisions to make as he trims his 39-player squad to 32 by 20 September.

It was a comfortable 33-0 scoreline at half-time, but given England are a fully professional side they may have expected to take further advantage of the United States' errors.

United States take charge for final 15

If the first half was slightly disappointing compared to England's usual standard, the second was surprising.

Despite early United States pressure, replacement scrum-half Leanne Infante increased the pace of England's attack and they still looked unstoppable when they strung passes together.

MacDonald finished off one such move impressively for her second score and 20-year-old flanker Sadia Kabeya also shone, shutting down the visitors' attack and showing her desire by repeatedly sprinting to charge down kicks.

England's set-piece was ever reliable during the Six Nations and they took some comfort in it again for Cokayne's second try in a maul.

Infante again was the star as she stopped the United States scoring during a sustained period of pressure within 5m of England's tryline.

But the visitors could not be kept out forever and Rogers barged over the tryline to kick off a frantic final 15 minutes for England.

Brown was shown yellow for a dangerous tackle shortly after, before Rowland left the field in tears after a deliberate knock-on resulted in a yellow card and a penalty try for the United States, leaving England with 13 players on the field.

The Red Roses could at least end on a high as Zoe Harrison's stylish chip set up a try for Kildunne, but Middleton will no doubt find plenty to work on before the next game against Wales.

Player of the match - Claudia MacDonald

Claudia MacDonald looked eager to make up the for time lost due to injury in a lively attacking performance, particularly impressing with a strong finish for her second try.

Line-ups

England: Kildunne; Breach, Scarratt (capt), Heard, MacDonald; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Cockayne, B Cleall, Galligan, O'Donnell, Aldcroft, Kabeya, P Cleall.

Replacements: Powell, Muir, Brown, Talling, Fleetwood, Infante, Rowland, Aitchison.

United States: Kelter; Detiveaux, Bizer, Howard, Clapp; Cantorna, Ortiz; Rogers, Kitlinkski, James, Taufoou, Sommer, Johnson, Perris-Redding, Zackary (capt).

Replacements: Treder, Benson, Jacoby, Ashenbrucker, Cairns, Waters, Foster, Feury.

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