Meg Jones stood on the pitch at the Stadium of Light when the final whistle blew, her face alight.
The Red Roses centre arguably delivered a career-defining performance as the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup continued, as her team overcame the USA Women’s Eagles with a 69-7 victory in Sunderland.
Adding to her trademark attacking prowess, her well-placed cross-field kicks, and her slippery runs with the ball, the 28-year-old demonstrated a tougher, more forceful dimension to her game.
With several powerful carries, forceful tackles, and an intense level of aggression, Jones emphatically proved her status as one of the finest centres on the global stage.
Were it not for Ellie Kildunne’s sensational display of try scoring and setting up tries, Jones might very well have been awarded Mastercard Player of the Match.
Nearly two hours following the game in Wearside, supporters gathered near the stadium exits. They hoped to see their beloved rugby stars, the captivating Ilona Maher, or simply soak in the atmosphere of a record-breaking attendance at a Women’s Rugby World Cup match.
In the days ahead, the hosts are poised to continue their winning streak as they face Samoa and Australia, concluding their tour across the nation.
“Being in that atmosphere was incredible,” Jones expressed with delight. “And I believe it highlights the progression of this sport, and it will undoubtedly continue to flourish.
“The fact that these fans stayed so long, cheering us as we exited, was truly amazing and something we want to capitalize on, particularly with this being our home World Cup.
“The reason we’ve moved our location throughout the country is so we can connect with the fans.
“That’s important for us because we have a key message, and that’s aimed at the girls, the girls who are here today, those watching with passion, singing the anthem, the echoes of Swing Low filling the stadium. It’s beautiful.”
Even after such a commanding victory, there was a lingering feeling that the Red Roses could elevate their performance in future matches.
It wasn’t until Alev Kelter received a yellow card in the first half that England widened their lead, following a period where the North Americans put their hosts under pressure. At times, England struggled to penetrate their opponents’ defense until the Eagles’ lack of discipline gave them an advantage.
During Kelter’s time in the sin bin, Maud Muir and Kildunne managed to score, paving the way for a second-half surge that saw the hosts touch down seven times.
“Perhaps it was that final pass,” Jones noted. “We’re getting into favorable positions, creating opportunities, but we just needed that one pass to finish it off.
“Also, being patient with the ball, especially when we’re in their half, we can keep building pressure with phases and avoid rushing things.
“We demonstrated that at times. Perhaps we could have scored more, but I also think we applied a significant amount of pressure in that second half.”
In the post-match press briefing, England head coach John Mitchell revealed that he and his coaching team had pre-planned their selections for the initial stages of the tournament.
It was only due to Helena Rowland’s ankle injury that Emily Scarratt was chosen for the matchday 23 against the Eagles, enabling her to participate in her fifth World Cup.
As a result, it’s anticipated that players such as Rowland, Holly Aitchison, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, Marlie Packer, and Lilli Ives Campion will all be in the starting lineup next weekend at Franklin’s Gardens against Samoa.
After witnessing Australia’s dominant 73-0 victory over the Pacific Islanders, England will aim for a similar scoreline by the end of their 80-minute match in the East Midlands.
With a clear strategy for advancing through the group stages and into the knockout rounds, all that remains is to continue their journey across the country and garner even greater support along the way.
“I’m satisfied with how we executed our game plan,” Jones commented. “We aimed to keep the ball in play, which was crucial, and also to revert to building pressure.
“We need to maintain pressure on teams to reap the rewards. There’s nothing overly concerning from this.
“We could have executed some things better, but that’s the nature of rugby, and the opposition is trying to stop us. I’m sure we’ll review a few aspects, but overall, I thought our execution from within our own half was fantastic to watch.”
