England Rout Wales 70-6 in World Cup Opener in Perth

England opened their Women's Rugby League World Cup with a 70-6 thrashing of Wales in Perth.

The Round 1 Group A tie was played on Friday 16 October at HBF Park, according to the NRL. It was a dream start for England. It was a harsh welcome for Wales.

England scored 13 tries in all, including seven before half-time, according to BBC Sport. In league, a try is worth four points and is scored by touching the ball down over the try-line. The rest of the points come from kicks at goal.

That pace told the story. England kept finding space out wide and through the middle. Wales struggled to slow them down once the tackles slipped.

Rowe led the damage. She finished with 26 points in the 70-6 win, according to Rugby League. That haul came from a mix of tries and goals, which is common for a goalkicking back.

Wales are debutants at this tournament, according to BBC Sport. They kept going to the end. Their reward was six points on the board against strong opposition.

Conditions helped fast rugby. The official listing gave the weather as Fine and the ground as Good at HBF Park.

What makes this stand out is the control behind the scoreline. Big wins in league usually come from completing sets, which means holding the ball through your six tackles and kicking well to finish. England did that early. Wales barely got a foothold.

For fans, this means England could not have asked for more from week one. Seven tries by the break settled any nerves. The second half became about maintaining standards and energy.