England women ramp up Rugby League World Cup preparations with win in France — SkimNews
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- England women beat France 38-4 at the Stade Ernest-Wallon in Toulouse on Saturday 25 July 2026, their first international of the year and a mid-season Rugby League World Cup warm-up under coach Stuart Barrow.
- Debutant Ellise Derbyshire scored two tries after France had taken an early lead through two successful penalty goals (4-0).
- Lucy Murray also crossed twice, while Ella Donnelly scored her first England try in a first-half rout that produced a 28-4 half-time lead.
- Eva Hunter, the reigning Woman of Steel, produced a 'rampaging run' to evade numerous French defenders before playmaker Jenna Foubister added a second-half try.
- Izzy Rowe converted five of seven attempts, completing a 38-4 scoreline built on seven tries from seven different players — a margin that signals genuine squad depth ahead of the World Cup.
Why it matters: The 34-point margin and seven-distinct-try-scorer haul signal genuine squad depth for Barrow's side heading into the World Cup, with debutant Derbyshire and first-cap try scorer Donnelly joining established stars like Hunter and Foubister in a performance that turned an early 4-0 deficit into a one-sided win.
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