USA 21 England 61
10:16 PM BST
Full-time: USA 21 England 61 – try Ella Wyrwas!
It’s sealed with an interception from the stand-in wing! USA willing, as they have been all game, but Wyrwas picks their pocket out wide. Harrison signs off with an eighth conversion.
10:15 PM BST
78 minutes: USA 21 England 54 – try, Ellie Kildunne!
England piling on the points now. Their strong bench is telling and Rowland bursts up the middle. Maddie Feaunati and Wyrwas work it wide to Kildunne with quick hands. Another great strike from Harrison, too.
10:13 PM BST
73 minutes: USA 21 England 47 – try, Jess Breach!
She’s been pretty quiet all game, but that is a fantastic finish from the prolific Jess Breach. Harrison throws a flat pass off the top of a line-out to Aitchison, who goes behind Rowland to a roaming Breach and the defence opens up. Lovely stuff.
10:10 PM BST
71 minutes: USA 21 England 40
Less than 10 minutes remaining here. Westcombe-Evans has made way after suffering with cramp. Ella Wyrwas, usually a scrum-half, is on in her place.
10:07 PM BST
68 minutes: USA 21 England 40 – try, Morwenna Talling!
Messy, but eventually over. England got to within a metre of the try-line and then had to retreat back to the 22 because of a couple of rushed passes. But they kept their composure and retained possession, with Talling shunting over the whitewash. Harrison splits the posts. She’s been excellent from the tee.
10:03 PM BST
66 minutes: USA 21 England 33
Goodness me. England’s scrum has just marched USA back 10 metres against the put-in, forcing a penalty.
10:03 PM BST
65 minutes: USA 21 England 33
Bit of a snapshot of the game there. England win a scrum penalty and tap rather than hitting the corner. They go wide but come back into midfield and Brock cannot hold Aitchison’s pass.
09:58 PM BST
60 minutes: USA 21 England 33
Changes for England. Zoe Aldcroft has replaced Rosie Galligan with Hollie Aitchison and Helena Rowland taking over from Phoebe Murray and Emily Scarratt.
09:56 PM BST
58 minutes: USA 21 England 33 – try, Kate Zackary!
More line-out smarts in this game, this time from USA. They throw long to Hallie Taufoou and the captain burrows in before darting against the grain. England’s defence is pretty passive, it has to be said, and USA have a third try. Hawkins converts as well.
09:54 PM BST
56 minutes: USA 14 England 33
USA inside the England 22 with the usual suspects, Kelter and Rogers, causing issues. Hawkins goes for a kick-pass towards Cheta Emba.. Kildunne deals with it – just – so we will come back for a penalty.
09:51 PM BST
55 minutes: USA 14 England 33
Rachel Johnson coming off. She’s been excellent for USA.
09:48 PM BST
52 minutes: USA 14 England 33
Important intervention there from England, who halt a maul attempt from USA five mtres out. Abbie Ward in the thick of things.
Mitchell goes to his bench, switching Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern for Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir.
09:45 PM BST
49 minutes: USA 14 England 33 – try, Westcombe-Evans!
A try on debut for Westcombe-Evans! That will feel very good, and comes off first phase from an incisive backline move. Jess Breach sweeps all the way around from the left wing to feed the 22-year-old on the right.
Harrison’s kick slides wide off the post.
09:43 PM BST
48 minutes: USA 14 England 28
Counter-rucking turnover from Kelter. She’s been in the thick of everything today.
09:42 PM BST
46 minutes: USA 14 England 28
Error from Kildunne, whose pass wobbles out of play as the star full-back endeavours to counter.
Ooosh. A tough few moments for Kildunne. She is bopped backwards by Joanne Fa’avesi.
09:39 PM BST
44 minutes: USA 14 England 28 – try, Alev Kelter!
Rachel Johnson is back at it, charging towards the England 22 from a scrum free-kick. Kelter then surges to within 15 metres of the try-line before Hope Rogers goes even closer…
…England are defending desperately but they run out of bodies and Kelter dives over for her second! Hawkins converts again.
09:36 PM BST
41 minutes: USA 7 England 28
England only kicked the ball six times in the first period and they go through several phases here inside their own half… but they are then pulled back for a forward pass. It was Kildunne’s offload to Westcombe-Evans that was collared.
09:34 PM BST
Players back out
Second half coming up, with Alev Kelter kicking off.
09:28 PM BST
Neat finish
Here’s that Alex Matthews try. England attempted something like this early on, but nailed it at the end of the first period.
09:20 PM BST
Half-time: USA 7 England 28 – try, Alex Matthews!
Now that’s clinical from England. They go into midfield from the line-out and Murray carries abrasively again. A couple of phases later, they bounce back towards the right touchline.
Harrison feeds Matthews and the captain throws a dummy towards Westcombe-Evans and goes in. Harrison nails the extras to make it a satisfactory opening 40 minutes.
09:17 PM BST
40 minutes: USA 7 England 21
Murray runs flat and plays a late pass to Scarratt, with USA infringing at the ruck. That will set up a final chance of the half…
09:16 PM BST
38 minutes: USA 7 England 21
Despite that error, Kelter has kept coming. She’s punching holes with most touches. Now Hope Rogers, the USA loosehead, makes a half-break as well…
…England are on the back foot but Matthews and Brock combine to earn a breakdown penalty.
09:13 PM BST
36 minutes: USA 7 England 21 – try, Georgia Brock!
They have their spark! And it’s down to Lucy Packer, who harries Kelter and forces a fumble on the USA try-line. Georgia Brock can follow up for the easiest try she will score for England.
09:11 PM BST
34 minutes: USA 7 England 14
USA stifle another attempted maul from England, who need a spark here.
09:07 PM BST
30 minutes: USA 7 England 14 – try, Alev Kelter!
Fantastic stuff from USA. It appeared as though England were pretty comfortable in defence just in front of their own 22 but Kelter chips and chases, stepping past the covering defenders to go over. Game on!
09:06 PM BST
29 minutes: USA 0 England 14
Morwenna Talling is pinged for a crocodile roll, derailing an England attack. It was USA centre Alev Kelter who was making a nuisance of herself over the ball in defence.
09:03 PM BST
28 minutes: USA 0 England 14
Tough stuff from Lucy Packer. She tackles Tahlia Brody, the USA blindside flanker, into touch.
09:02 PM BST
25 minutes: USA 0 England 14
Frustrating period for England here as the USA go through some neat phases themselves, moving the ball well. Eventually Hawkins drops into the pocket and goes to the boot… and England ship a penalty for advancing after Kildunne returned the favour.
09:00 PM BST
Match action
USA have defended sternly for this opening quarter. They’ve just proved that point by forcing a maul turnover from a dangerous England line-out.
08:57 PM BST
23 minutes: USA 0 England 14
Lovely pull-back from Murray to help Scarratt send Westcombe-Evans down the right. USA scramble well, though, with McKenzie Hawkins and Kris Thomas. Then there’s a fumble from Mackenzie Carson on England’s next phase.
08:55 PM BST
21 minutes: USA 0 England 14
USA have a put-in in the shadow of their own posts and, once again, they need Johnson to perform a bit of a rescue act at the base. When they do clear, the Red Roses backs counter.
08:54 PM BST
18 minutes: USA 0 England 14
Murray has been busy on her first cap but she cannot quite link up with Jess Breach on England’s left flank. It doesn’t matter, though, England nab the line-out through Rosie Galligan.
08:52 PM BST
As promised…
…here is that Kildunne try. Some seriously slick work from England to run the ball out out of their own 22 and work the space so nicely:
08:51 PM BST
16 minutes: USA 0 England 14
USA have been game at the beginning of this contest but Rachel Johnson, who has been outstanding, is down receiving treatment. It would be a blow if she were to withdraw.
She’s sticking around for now, strapping up her right knee.
08:47 PM BST
13 minutes: USA 0 England 14 – try, Ellie Kildunne!
Oh wow. A scorcher, almost directly from the restart.
Jess Breach gathered it and found Emily Scarratt, who offloaded to Alex Matthews. Georgia Brock carried from there and then the ball went wide to Ellie Kildunne, via Phoebe Murray from an Abbie Ward pull-back.
Kildunne put down the hammer from 70 metres or so, carving back inside under the posts to give Harrison an easy kick. I will get you a clip of that try as soon as I possibly can.
08:45 PM BST
11 minutes: USA 0 England 7 – try, Lark Atkin-Davies!
Clever stuff from the England forwards. With USA expecting a maul, having conceded another penalty, there is a slick front peel. Georgia Brock spun back towards the touchline and fed Sarah Bern, who released Atkin-Davies.
The conversion, from out wide, is beautifully strick by Harrison.
08:41 PM BST
9 minutes: USA 0 England 0
A forgettable opening for England continues. Westcombe-Evans concedes a penalty thanks to an excellent jackal from Johnson before Ellie Kildunne coughs up a kick-return.
A bit of a let-off for Mitchell’s team here. They’ve been handed a penalty for a neck-roll. Harrison finds touch inside the USA 22.
08:40 PM BST
7 minutes: USA 0 England 0
Resolute defence from USA. Englands attempt to launch from the scrum does not go well but they regather a bit of momentum through the forwards. Harrison fizzes a pass to Westcombe-Evans, who cannot control it on the touchline.
08:37 PM BST
5 minutes: USA 0 England 0
A scrappy line-out hands a put-in to England, who head wide into the hands of Bo Westcombe-Evans. There’s another error from England but they win the ensuing kicking exchange.
Zoe Harrison turns USA with a strike into the corner and there is a mix-up in USA’s back-field, bringing a scrum inside their 22. Big chance for England.
08:35 PM BST
3 minutes: USA 0 England 0
The power comes on from England’s pack but Rachel Johnson does extremely well at the base of the scrum to make ground and give the USA some momentum.
England commit a breakdown offence out wide, so USA will hit touch.
08:33 PM BST
1 minute: USA 0 England 0
All-action opening minute. Bulou Mataitoga, the USA full-back, gathers the kick-off and has a lively run before USA clear. Ellie Kildunne counters and there is an early carry for debutant Phoebe Murray but the attack breaks down with a spill just outside the USA 22.
08:31 PM BST
Here we go
Players out, anthems done. England, playing in red, will get us going through Zoe Harrison. The referee is Aurélie Groizeleau.
08:27 PM BST
Five minutes until kick-off
A reminder of the teams in full:
England: E Kildunne; G Westcombe-Evans, E Scarratt, P Murray, J Breach; Z Harrison, L Packer; M Carson, LAtkin-Davies, S Bern, R Galligan, A Ward, M Talling, G Brock, A Matthews (capt).
Replacements: A Cokayne, K Clifford, M Muir, Z Aldcroft, M Feaunati, E Wyrwas, H Aitchison, H Rowland.
USA: B Mataitoga; C Emba, E Henrich, A Kelter, K Thomas; M Hawkins, T Tukuafu; H Rogers, K Treder, C Jacoby, E Jarrell, H Taufoou, T Brody, K Zackary (capt), R Johnson.
Replacements: P Stathopoulos, C Benson, K M Sagapolu, E Allen, R Ehrecke, S Pyrz, J Fa’avesi, T Feury.
08:16 PM BST
Read up on WXV
You just have time to scan our explainer on this tournament, which is a relatively new initiative from World Rugby.
08:12 PM BST
Twenty minutes until kick-off
The teams arrived at the venue around an hour ago…
08:11 PM BST
Dr Murray will see you now
Last week, before the Red Roses flew out to Canada, we caught up with Phoebe Murray, who is making her England debut today. She spoke about juggling sport with her career as a junior doctor, shifting from outside centre to inside centre and much more. Catch the interview here.
08:07 PM BST
Familiar faces
No fewer than 14 members of USA’s match-day 23 play for Premiership Women’s Rugby sides, including all eight of their starting pack. Kate Zackary, their skipper and openside flanker, will probably be the most recognisable figure. Previously at Exeter Chiefs, she is now with Ealing Trailfinders.
08:00 PM BST
Evening all
Hello, wherever you are, and welcome to our live coverage of England’s meeting with USA in the opening round of WXV in Vancouver.
On an impressive run of 17 consecutive victories, which has included back-to-back Grand Slam triumphs in the Six Nations, John Mitchell’s Red Roses are defending the WXV title they landed last year in New Zealand.
Building steadily towards a home World Cup in 2025, they are bidding to establish greater depth today. In the back line, Phoebe Murray and Bo Westcombe-Evans are making their debuts – at inside centre and wing, respectively – as Lucy Packer and Xoe Harrison team up as the starting half-back partnership.
A refreshed pack features a maiden start for openside flanker Georgia Brock and the side will be captained by Alex Matthews from No 8. Mitchell is in the enviable position of being able to accompany rookies with serious experience.
Emily Scarratt picks up a 101st senior international start at outside centre and Abbie Ward will be marshalling the line-out at lock. Among the replacements are seasoned operators such as Amy Cokayne and Zoe Aldcroft, as well as Holly Aitchison and Helena Rowland.
England’s two warm-up games, against France and New Zealand earlier this month, produced fairly comfortable wins despite an understandably pre-season feel to the collective performances.
USA shipped 107 points across their first two games in the Pacific Four Series, which took place between April and May this year. They lost 50-7 to Canada before going down 57-5 to New Zealand. Admirably, they battled back to overturn Australia 32-25.
All things considered, it would be surprising if England did not register a straightforward win to begin their campaign today. Bookies have the handicap at 54 points, which tells you everything.
Mitchell will be eager to see a clinical display full of conviction, with a few new faces putting up their hands for further game-time this tournament.