England launched their Women's Rugby World Cup campaign with a commanding victory over the United States at a packed Stadium of Light in Sunderland on Friday night. The Red Roses ran in ten tries to overwhelm the USA, whose hopes were dealt a blow when Alev Kelter was sin-binned in the first half.
The atmosphere in Sunderland was electric, with thousands of fans gathering in the fan zone before kick-off. The crowd for the opening match exceeded the entire attendance of the 2010 tournament, which was played at Surrey Sports Park in front of just under 3,000 people.
England took control with a dominant 10-minute spell late in the first half when the USA were reduced to 14 players. Sadia Kabeya scored from a rolling maul, and further tries from Abby Dow and Ellie Kildunne put England 21 points clear. The hosts never looked back, adding more tries after the interval.
The match marked a milestone for women's rugby in the north-east, a region without an elite women's club but with growing grassroots talent. The Rugby Football Union has pledged investment from the Impact 25 fund, while the North East Combined Authority contributed £500,000 to the fan zone.
