England see off USA to return to winning ways

Tries: Moloney-MacDonald (4), Jones, Venner, Field, Feaunati, Kabeya Cons: Sing (2), Harrison (3)

England's Red Roses returned to winning ways, but without entirely vanquishing doubts over their position at the top of the women's game, as they saw off a spirited United States in New Jersey.

England started steadily enough with wing Claudia Moloney-MacDonald crossing twice in the first 12 minutes, her second coming via a looping mis-pass from fly-half Holly Aitchison.

However the United States, who were obliterated 69-7 in the opening match of England's march to the Rugby World Cup last year, stuck in the contest far longer than they did that day in Sunderland.

The sixth-ranked underdogs were still snarling deep into the second half with one thunderous hit from Alev Kelter, hoisting and dumping England captain Meg Jones, rallying her team.

Ultimately Moloney-MacDonald ran in four tries as England exploited space out wide, but their final performance of the WXV Global Series, after two losses to Canada over the previous fortnight, will give head coach John Mitchell plenty to ponder before the start of their Women's Six Nations title defence in April.

The United States claimed a second try with the final play of the match as Kate Zackary dived over around the fringes at the end of a surge that summed up their determination.

While Mitchell will undoubtedly take positives – Holly Aitchison's play-making and Maud Muir's all-action performance among them – he has plenty on his to-do list.

Top will be to tune up his team's set-piece solidity and attacking fluency.

England suffered at the line-out early on, unable to fire up their rolling maul from two promising attacking positions before being shoved back over their own line, only for Kathryn Treder's try to be ruled out for a obstruction call.

The scrum was also under pressure.

Muir was pinged as the experienced Hope Rogers grappled for set-piece supremacy.

And, all the while, the hosts were making headway at the gainline, buying territory with brute physicality - an aspect of the game which is usually England's trademark.

The United States got their reward as Rogers burrowed beneath Maddie Feaunati for a short-range score that sparked lasting celebrations.

Jones went over after full-back Emma Sing hit a good line to restore a 10-point lead by the break, but the stats below the scoreboard favoured the United States with the hosts enjoying more territory and possession and making more metres with the ball in hand at the interval.

Moloney-MacDonald's third and fourth scores soon after the restart put England 20 points clear and the outcome out of doubt.

The United States, who came into the match on the back of five-match winning run that includes successes over Ireland and South Africa, hung tough however.

While England's endurance and depth told, with Hannah Botterman impressing off the bench, Ellie Kildunne weaving up from backfield on her introduction and four tries scored in the final quarter, the hosts' energy was impressive.

Even with replacement prop Mona Lisa Tupou being sent to the sin bin for a scrum infringement, their resistance and physicality stayed high and was rewarded with Zackary's late score.

With both the attendance and the playing surface appearing patchy at the 25,000-capacity Sports Illustrated Stadium, organisers will hope to have a more impressive platform in place by the time the Women's Rugby World Cup is held stateside in 2033.

United States: Cowdrey; Mataitoga, Henrich, Vogel, Kelter; Mason, Paton; Rogers, Treder, Sagapolu-Senele, Taufoou, Ehrecke, Humphreys, Perris-Redding (co-capt), Tafuna.

Replacements: Stathopoulos, Carlton, Tupou, Jarrell-Searcy (co-capt), Bailey, Zackary, Bargell, Hann.

England: Sing; Venner, Jones, Heard, Moloney-MacDonald; Aitchison, Robinson; Carson, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ives Campion, Burton, Kabeya, Feaunati

Replacements: Field, Botterman, Bern, Short, Matthews, Hunt, Harrison, Kildunne