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England can match best in world - Cunningham


England can match best in world - Cunningham

England are proving that they are good enough to match world champions Australia when the two sides meet in March, captain Jodie Cunningham says.

Stuart Barrow's side rounded off 2024 with their biggest-ever win, thrashing Wales 82-0 in their autumn Test at Headingley.

Anna Davies made history as the first woman to score five tries in an England international, with Barrow's side scoring 16 in total.

It was the last chance for England's players to impress on the field before Barrow selects a training squad in preparation for facing the Jillaroos in Las Vegas on 1 March.

England see that match as an opportunity to ascertain how much progress they have made since the last World Cup two years ago, when they lost in the semi-finals to a New Zealand side themselves well beaten in the final by Australia at Old Trafford.

Cunningham told BBC Sport: "Australia are the benchmark, but who knows until we play them? And I think that's why it's important. We have to test ourselves against Australia to know where we are. They are the world champions.

"You can't take any credit away from how brilliantly they play, but I think we've shown today that we can match the best in the world. We just have to test ourselves against them, and we're going to get the chance in March."

Wigan Warriors winger Davies grabbed the attention with her try-scoring display, but Huddersfield full-back Amelia Brown also had a day to remember with a hat-trick on her international debut.

Barrow had called for his players to make a fast start, feeling they were too slow to get going both in June's Test win over France in Toulouse and last November's 60-0 victory over Wales.

Both he and Cunningham acknowledged that the prospect of a trip to Vegas is motivating the players.

"It was a massive incentive for everyone," Barrow said. "Where they might have lost control, they have to do what Stu says as there are only 20 going on the plane.

"I thought we had a little challenge. We have been sloppy in the last two Test matches in the first 25 minutes and our challenge today was to put a complete set in the first 15 and I thought we did that really well."

Cunningham was taken off near the end, with Barrow keen to see how well his players coped without her.

"I don't really like leaving the field, I'll be honest," Cunningham said. "But we've got so much talent that we need to make sure everyone's getting minutes."

Wales' performance left head coach Tom Brindle "disappointed", as they ended the year on a low note after the high of securing Women's World Cup qualification for the first time in their history in June.

But Brindle felt his players would be better for the experience.

"It's all about learning, and getting our chances to play against these teams, because that's what we'll be doing in two years' time at the World Cup, so it's a vital experience for us," he said.

Brindle added that Wales have not been helped by uncertainty over next year's Test calendar.

"That's one of the challenges," he said. "We don't quite know next year's schedule.

"Sometimes these girls struggle. We haven't played a competitive game for six weeks and sometimes that's hard.

"We'll get together and we're committed to making sure that we improve. But I don't know what next year looks like and that possibly needs to change."

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