England crushed the USA 69-7 in their Women's Rugby World Cup opener at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, but hooker Amy Cokayne insists the Red Roses must be "more clinical" despite the dominant victory. The defending champions scored 11 tries but left numerous scoring opportunities on the field through handling errors and poor execution.
Cokayne, playing in her third World Cup, highlighted specific areas for improvement ahead of their next Pool A match. "We need to be more clinical in the goal zone," the 29-year-old said. "When we get in there, we have to come away with points."
The England forward was particularly critical of the team's handling of USA's restart kicks, describing kick receipt as their "third set piece" that requires better execution. "It is something we work on quite a lot and it is something we want to go well in games," she explained.
Record crowd witnesses dominant display
The match broke attendance records with 42,723 spectators creating the largest crowd for a Women's Rugby World Cup opening game. England led 28-7 at half-time before adding seven more tries in a commanding second-half performance.
Ellie Kildunne starred as player of the match, scoring two tries and running 153 metres in an electric display, according to The i. The Independent reports that openside flanker Sadia Kabeya made 26 tackles and 10 carries in a standout defensive performance.
England's scrum proved particularly dominant throughout the contest, with Cokayne noting the pack felt they had "a point to prove" after questions about their readiness. "Our scrum has been a weapon for us," she said. "We work on it every day in training."
Squad rotation plans ahead
Coach John Mitchell plans widespread squad rotation for Saturday's match against Samoa in Northampton, with The i reporting he wants to give all players World Cup experience during the pool stages. The tournament favourites will look to maintain their clinical edge while managing player workloads.
Captain Zoe Aldcroft attributed some early errors to nerves, but Cokayne dismissed that notion entirely. "I don't really believe in nerves," she said. "I think nervousness and excitement are the same thing, it's just how you look at it."
Sources used: "Guardian", "The i", "Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
