England 43-12 New ZealandRed Roses cement world No 1 ranking for World CupAnother day, another giant leap for women’s rugby and the blossoming Red Roses. The full impact of this record-breaking scoreline will not be fully measurable until the live
BBC Two television audience figures are collated but outside a
World Cup there have not been many feelgood occasions in the English women’s game to beat it.
![Abbie Ward sets England Women on way to record win over New Zealand](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/02e4361efea3d1405d169bc82c03c2e77d1d74a4/0_81_3481_2090/master/3481.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=159903ceadaf4d635a888e890139a299)
Even if
New Zealand were slightly rusty, not having played an international for more than two years, this was still a rare indignity. Their hosts, in contrast, have now won 15 Tests in a row and cemented their world No 1 ranking before next year’s delayed World Cup. Only one of these two teams will be gleefully awaiting the second Test in Northampton next weekend.