There were also wins for Australia, Ireland, England and Canada on the opening day of competition at Fédération Française de Rugby headquarters in Marcoussis, Paris and Marcoussis Rugby Club.

Two tries apiece for Kelly Brazier, Selicia Winiata and Fiao'o Fa'amausili helped the Black Ferns to get their campaign up and running as they go in search of a fifth straight win from seven tournaments.

"The girls found it very hot out there and had to adapt," said New Zealand head coach Brian Evans.

"We now have to prepare for our next match against Ireland and they are more of a known quantity to us, so we will be ready and we should have our game plans running smoothly."

Evans' side will take on the girls in green came after they came through a much tighter affair against inaugural World Cup winners the United States.

Lynelle Kugler and Carmen Farmer were the try scorers for the US, but it was Niamk Briggs who was the game's stand-out player as she crossed the try-line and kicked 13 points to ensure an Irish win.

Hosts France, who have finished third on four occasions, delighted home fans with an emphatic win over Wales with two tries from Marion Lievre the highlight of a 26-0 win.

France have made a powerful start to their Women's Rugby World Cup campaign on home soil ©AFP/Getty Images



They will next take on a South African side who will be smarting from a 26-3 loss to big rivals Australia, with tries from Sharni Williams, Ashleigh Hewson and Tricia Brown helping them to what was a surprisingly comfortable win in Pool C.

In Pool A, the big two made ominous starts as Canada defeated Spain 31-7, while 1994 champions and four times runners-up England hammered Samoa 65-3, who were not helped by the early dismissal of Soteria Pulumu.

Magali Harvey was the star for Canada, bagging 26 points while Katherine Merchant, Lydia Thompson, Natasha Hunt and Kay Wilson all crossed the tryline twice for the English.

"Obviously we were very pleased with the result, and I'll take a score of 65-3 every day of the week," said head coach Gary Street after the match.

"We did simple things well.

"There were a few errors but it's only to be expected in the first match of the tournament.

"It was very warm but we trained for hot weather.

"We are fortunate to have very good legs on the bench so we can bring on strength and we need it in the heat."

England and Canada square-up next in what will likely be a match that decides who tops the pool, while Spain and Samoa will be desperate to get their respective defeats out of their system.

The next round of matches take place on Tuesday (August 5) with the tournament set to run until August 17.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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