- Pool C: Fiji 19-84 England
- ‘They rattled us a bit in their physicality,’ says Sarah Hunter
A tricky first half did not prevent England opening their World Cup campaign with an 84-19 dismantling of Fiji at Auckland’s Eden Park, extending the tournament favourites’ winning streak to 26 matches.
The match was a long time coming for both teams with the finals starting a year late because of coronavirus, plus this being the first meeting between the two sides in the 16 years they have coexisted at international level. Fiji, taking their World Cup bow, were not about to allow the Red Roses to have it all their own way on such a momentous occasion. So it proved in a pulsating opening 40 minutes.
