A year on from England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup win at the Allianz Stadium, Zoe Harrison scored an 80th-minute interception try in front of nearly 60,000 fans to extend England’s unbeaten run to 41 matches and end New Zealand coach Whitney Hansen’s winning start in dramatic fashion.
Earlier, South Africa bounced back from their 50-19 defeat in Wales last weekend to claim victory in a thrilling encounter with Italy in Pordenone.
Italy 29 - 37 South Africa
Italy were first and last on the scoreboard in an opening period that was otherwise controlled by South Africa.
Winger Alyssa D’Inca was first on the board, finishing off as the Springbok Women ran out of defenders shepherding a deceptively simple-looking passing move along the line in the fifth minute. And hooker Vittoria Vecchini blasted over behind a maul following a 5m lineout as the clock ticked past the 40-minute mark.
But they were on the back foot for the rest of the opening period. Hooker Anushka Groenewald scored her first and second international tries in the 11th and 28th minutes as South Africa’s forwards repeatedly overpowered them.
And fly-half Byrhandre Dolf and wing Maria Tshiremba added touchdowns of their own in the 14th and 31st minutes respectively.
D’Inca cut back inside and forced her way over for a second try to cut South Africa’s lead further 13 minutes into the second period, while the visitors were temporarily reduced to 14 following a yellow card for loose-head prop Yonela Ngxingolo.
And captain Vittoria Minuzzi ran in the score that reduced – via Michela Sillari’s third conversion of the afternoon – the deficit to a single point just before the hour.
Sillari knocked over a penalty five minutes later to take the Italians ahead for the first time. But their lead didn’t last long as Micke Gunter crashed over soon after and nerveless player of the match Jakkie Cilliers converted to hand the advantage back to the Springbok Women.
In a blockbuster finish, replacement Francesca Granzotto was denied a 73rd-minute try for a foot in touch as she dived over to score under pressure from desperate South African defence, before Logan Welman powered over with the clock in the red to seal the match for South Africa.
England 26-19 New Zealand
Despite scoring first, England were forced into a heavy-duty first-half defensive shift as New Zealand dominated territory and possession in an engrossing first-half.
By the time Claudia Moloney-MacDonald scored her fourth try in three matches, courtesy of a perfectly delayed pass from Ellie Kildunne in the 13th minute, the Black Ferns had already crossed the hosts’ tryline. But Ayesha Leti-I’iga’s effort was ruled out as she did not release the ball in the tackle before bounding back to her feet.
That was the beginning and end of England’s attacking effort in the opening period, as New Zealand launched wave after wave of attack.
It’s a mark of the Red Roses’ Maddie Feaunati-led defensive effort in the first half that it took New Zealand until the 25th minute to get their side of the scoreboard moving – Amy du Plessis easily winning a footrace to her own kick ahead from halfway.
And Leti-I’iga was on hand to finish Hannah King’s break just after the half-hour. But they will be disappointed not to be further ahead, as they repeatedly pushed for one more score before the break, only to crash on England’s defensive wall.
Ellie Kildunne smuggled a messy ball from an under-pressure Jess Breach out wide to give England the perfect start to the second period.
Suddenly the Red Roses had ripped control of the game. Ten minutes later, with Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Marlie Packer, Jess Breach was on hand to finish a training ground move off a dominant scrum.
But New Zealand were far from done. Mererangi Paul darted in from out wide following a period of Black Fern pressure. And Braxton Sorensen-McGee nailed the conversion to level the scores with 10 minutes to play.
Zoe Harrison had a chance to win the match with a last-minute penalty. Her kick fell short, but she was on hand moments later to pick a loose New Zealand pass out of the air and raced clear to score.
Wales 24-26 USA
Rugby fans were treated to an exciting contest as Wales and the USA were locked in a tight battle for 80 minutes. Freda Tafuna, who had already been pivotal for the USA in their remarkable win over Ireland, was everywhere in the opening 20 minutes. The number-eight successfully clinched two turnovers, one just metres from her side's try line, and took the opportunity to overpower the Welsh pack at every turn.
The back-rower also scored the first two tries, using her physicality to break the hosts' defensive line, with Bella Vogel claiming the four extra points from the tee.
Wales finally found their pace not long after, and managed to get their first try from a superb play that put Keira Bevan over the line. Freya Bell added the conversion.
The visitors found another break and scored following a great run by Eric Coulibaly, but Wales immediately hit back, striking twice with two massive carries from Kelsey Jones and Sisilia Tuipulotu. With the USA looking nervous, Wales ramped up their efforts and took the lead for the first time after a smart kick from Keira Bevan. The Welsh turned over the ball and patiently built through eight phases before Alex Callender powered over the line to send the home side to the break, leading 24-21.
The Women's Eagles applied heavy pressure from the restart but couldn't upend the opposition defence, losing control of the pill for a handful of times. However, a fumble from a Welsh offload gave the USA the lead back, as Freda Tafuna once again brushed the defence aside before grounding the ball to complete her first hat-trick. The Americans were now in the driver's seat, controlling possession for most of the second half, while Wales defended relentlessly and tried to find a way to get a crack at the ball.
Despite the impressive defensive effort, the hosts' attack misfired and spoiled a couple of critical opportunities, with the Eagles closing ranks, which ultimately was enough to take the win. After an impressive victory over Ireland, the USA have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since 2017, with Freda Tafuna's astonishing performance key to their Cardiff win.
Scotland 10-30 Australia
The Wallaroos ended a six-match losing streak with a 30-10 victory over Scotland at the Hive to head home on a high. The score stalemate was finally broken when the hosts made great use of a penalty advantage to set up a series of phases before Evie Gallagher found a gap to nail the ball to the ground and put Scotland ahead. Helen Nelson converted.
Scotland looked in control for most of the opening half but continuously missed several critical chances to extend their lead, while the Wallaroos patiently waited for their moment to pounce. After several attempts, the Wallaroos finally got on the scoreboard, making their set-piece count to unleash Desiree Miller on the wing, with the elusive speedster diving in the corner.
Unfortunately for the visitors, a mistake on the restart was more than enough for the hosts to win a penalty, which Nelson immediately converted for three points. There was nothing more to add before match official Aurélie Groizeleau sent the teams to a ten-minute break.
As the game resumed, Scotland and Australia were entangled in a turnover battle in the first 10 minutes of the second half, with the deadlock ending after a try from Samantha Wood. The scrum-half sniped from close range before slotting the extra two points in.
Evie Gallagher was sent to the sin bin during the play for deliberately collapsing the maul. The Wallaroos took advantage of the yellow card and added another finish to their tally, following a sensational carry from Brianna Hoy who threw a dummy before crashing inside the try-area. Scotland's woes kept growing as the home team conceded another try just two minutes later, with the Australians' passing ability on display before Faitala Moleka placed the ball down to gift her side a 24-10 advantage.
To add insult to injury, Moleka would kick a 50:22 to give Australia yet another golden opportunity to build an unassailable lead. However, this time around the Scottish defence stuck together and held up Piper Duck before the flanker could ground the ball. With 14 minutes left, Samantha Wood successfully punted two penalties to add six more, leaving the hosts unable to counter the visitors' control of the match.
The Wallaroos now return home to prepare for Scotland's visit, with the two sides set to meet again on 17 and 23 October.
France 21 - 5 Canada
Emilie Boulard scored once in each half in a much-improved and more disciplined France performance at Stade Marcel Deflandre as they beat the number three side in the world to claim their second win in as many weeks in the WXV Global Series.
Full-back Boulard opened the scoring in the 23rd-minute, sweeping in to complete a scintillating, high-pace, multi-phase move and reward Les Bleues’ early control.
But it was their defence rather than their attack that impressed most, as they held last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 finalists at arms’ length for most of the match – backrow Mouna Toure, in particular, was a menace in the lineout stealing throw after Canadian throw, while French defenders repeatedly won turnovers
Coach Francois Ratier will be concerned at their clinical inability with ball in hand, particularly as they failed to make the most of a first-half numerical advantage, after Charity Williams was sin-binned following a series of Canadian infringements.
In fact, five minutes later after Williams’ card, the visitors’ backrow Fabiola Forteza had the ball in her hands as a powerful maul crashed over the French line to reduce the arrears to two points.
Boulard’s second - following another lengthy attacking sequence - came 10 minutes into the second-half. A blind behind-the-back pass from captain Pauline Bourdon Sansus opened the smallest of gaps and the full-back was never going to waste such a chance.
Moments later, she turned defensive star, holding up replacement Justine Pelletier over the line to deny Canada a comeback try.
Neither side could then make the most with ball in hand, until Alexandra Chambon went the long way around the back of a 5m scrum to score the match-deciding try a minute from time.
Ireland xx - xx Japan
Match review to follow
