ENGLAND stormed into the World Cup quarter-finals with a superb 42-4 victory over Papua New Guinea.
Martha Molowia dotted down in the corner to make it a brilliant start for PNG, though Emily Veivers missed the conversion for a 4-0 lead.
Stern Orchids defence kept Caitlin Beevers out twice in two minutes before PNG finally cracked on 25 minutes when Courtney Winfield-Hill delivered an inch-perfect kick for St Helens winger Leah Burke to dot down in the corner. Tara-Jane Stanley missed the conversion as the scores remained locked at 4-4.
It was two in two minutes as Amy Hardcastle pounced on great England passing as Fran Goldthorp supplied the final pass.
Just before the break, England managed to cross again as Stanley bounced off three defenders on her way to the line and the centre was able to knock over the conversion for a 14-4 lead.
Burke grabbed her second in sensational fashion after half-time, catching another excellent Winfield-Hill kick on the fly as Stanley converted to make it 20-4.
Vicky Whitfield scored a deserved try on 51 minutes, cantering over from 20 metres before Carol Humeu was sinbinned for persistent offending to make things worse for PNG.
It was three in exactly the same fashion for Burke as Winfield-Hill once more put it on a platter for the Saints winger with her brilliant boot with 16 minutes to go. Stanley had found her kicking boots and added another two for a 32-4 lead.
There was no stopping England now and Beevers finally had her try five minutes from the end, with Hardcastle grabbing her second two minutes later. Stanley’s fifth conversion of the night made it 42-4 as the final whistle sounded.
England
Fran Goldthorp, Caitlin Beevers, Tara-Jane Stanley, Amy Hardcastle, Leah Burke, Georgia Roche, Courtney Winfield-Hill, Shona Hoyle, Tara Jones, Olivia Wood, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Emily Rudge (C), Jodie Cunningham. Subs (all used): Vicky Whitfield, Keara Bennett, Paige Travis, Grace Field
Tries: Burke 3, Hardcastle 2, Stanley, Whitfield, Beevers
Goals: Stanley 5/8
Papua New Guinea
Martha Molowia, Lisa-Marie Alu, Shellie Long, Belinda Gwasamun, Anika Butler, Sera Koroi, Lilah Malabag, Elsie Albert (C), Shelley Joe, Gloria Kaupa, Emily Veivers, Essay Banu, Jessikah Reeves. Subs (all used): Lia Ravu, Carol Humeu, Michelle John, Shae-Yvonne De La Cruz
Tries: Molowia
Goals: Veivers 0/1
Sinbin: Humeu (63) – high tackle
Half-time: 14-4
Referee: Ben Casty
Scoring sequence: 0-4, 4-4, 8-4, 14-4, 20-4, 26-4, 32-4, 36-4, 42-4
Venue: Headingley, Leeds
