Women's Rugby World Cup preview: Red Roses v Samoa
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The Red Roses face Samoa in their second match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Saturday 30 September at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton.
John Mitchell’s side opened the tournament with a dominant 69-7 win over the USA in front of a record crowd at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
They scored 11 tries between eight different scorers as they started their campaign in style.
This week the Red Roses take on Samoa, an opponent they haven’t faced since the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which they went on to win.
That match finished 65-3 in England’s favour, with Manusina reduced to 14 players after 12 minutes, while the only other time the two have played was in 2005.
Samoa finished runners up in WXV 3 and the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship prior to the tournament.
They opened their 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign with a 73-0 defeat at the hands of Australia.
Stats and facts
England are unbeaten in Pool stage matches at the Rugby World Cup, winning 23 and drawing once at this stage; the Red Roses are the only team to have never lost a Pool stage game in the tournament.
In addition to recording a 100% scrum success rate on their own feed (11/11), the Red Roses also have the best win rate at the opposition scrum in the opening round of this year’s Rugby World Cup (60%, 3/5); overall England won seven scrum penalties, two more than any other side.
No player has won more lineouts at Rugby World Cup 2025 than Samoa’s Sui Pauaraisa who claimed nine of Samoa’s 13 successful throws against Australia (level with Fiona Tuite).
England’s Morwenna Talling made 27/27 tackles against USA, her tally of 27 tackles was the joint most of any player overall (also Emily Chancellor and Alba Capell).
Red Roses v Samoa last time out
Keep your eye on...
Jess Breach's landmark. The Red Roses wing sits is just one score away from her 50th try for her country having scored twice against the USA. She will look to reach the half-century in just 49 appearances.
Women's Rugby World Cup debutants. Jade Shekells, Abi Burton and Lilli Ives Campion are all named to start in their first World Cup match, while May Campbell and Mackenzie Carson could make their first tournament debut as replacements.
Claudia Moloney-MacDonald's return. After missing the warm-up matches and World Cup opener against the USA, Moloney-MacDonald returns to start on the wing.
All change in the front row. After an impressive performance from the forwards against the USA, Kelsey Clifford, Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern get their first starts of the tournament.
Recent results
2014: Red Roses 65-3 Samoa
2005: Samoa 0-53 Red Roses
