England wing Jess Breach made a significant career milestone this past weekend, as the Red Roses racked up a staggering 92-3 win over Samoa. Breach bagged a hat-trick in the 14-try demolition of the Pacific Islanders, with her first of the trio marking the Saracens’ milestone 50th try upon the Test match stage.

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What made this record all the more impressive, is that Breach hit a half-century of England tries, before the flying outside back made her 50th England cap. The 27-year-old ran out for her 49th career Test this past Saturday in Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens, with the wing scoring her 50th, 51st and 52nd tries for the Red Roses. This accolade elevates Breach to fourth in England Women’s all-time try-scoring charts, with just score separating Breach and the third-placed Emily Scarratt.

Oon scoring her 50th try for the Red Roses, Breach said: “Yeah, amazing. It feels such an honour to score 50 tries to your country.

“I think not many people would think that that’s going to happen when you’re able to put on the white shirt. So yeah, pretty special and pretty amazing that my family were here to see that happen as well.”

The superstar winger, after securing the milestone after just eight minutes against Samoa, then went on to cross the whitewash upon the 53rd and 74th minutes. Breach was delighted to mark the occasion with a Women’s Rugby World Cup hat trick: “Yeah, amazing. I think like I went into the game thinking, I potentially would get my 50th. I didn’t then think that I would get a hat trick. So yeah, that definitely just topped it off.

“But the forwards did a massive work in the middle and then the inside back sure would to release me onto the edge and I just had to go for the white line.”

“It means everything, there is so much history within the Red Roses to get 50 tries is incredible. I a sure Ellie (Kildunne) and Abby (Dow) are coming up my rear. It is really nice we are all still playing in our prime and our future is about how many tries we can score.”

Whilst Kildunne held down the number 23 jersey for England’s walkover win of Samoa, the hot-stepping Harlequin was not brought into the fray by head coach John Mitchell. Kildunne’s talents weren’t required as the Red Roses set an all-time record Women’s Rugby World Cup win, with the fullback joking to Breach that her on-field appearence would have denied her the half-century of scores.

“Ell [Kildunne] did say to me ‘you were lucky I didn’t get on the pitch because you wouldn’t have got that.’ It is banter, she doesn’t really mean it and it will be a great achievement when Abby and Ellie get to that milestone.”

“We just had the confidence to spread the ball wide in the weather. I think a lot of teams would have tried to truck it up the middle but we stuck to our process, stuck to our game plan, but we didn’t really care about the weather. I think we are a good enough team to be able to play ball in hand and stretch to the edges and you could see that today.”

England head to Sussex, Breach’s home county, for their final pool game against Australia at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium and if Breach is selected she will reach her 50th cap for the Red Roses.

“I will be going home to see my boyfriend and my dog then going down to Brighton which I think is really nice because that is basically a home from home. I grew up in Sussex and played in Brighton for three years so it will be nice to do down there.”

“Yeah, I mean, it’ll be pretty special, but we just have to wait and see if that happens really. Like, I don’t want to get my hopes up, with it being in Sussex like, I think it would be a phenomenal occasion, but we just got to see what Mitch’s [John Mitchell] plan is for me.”

“It was really special to score 50 tries, but to have 50 caps for England is amazing and for it to be in my home county would be phenomenal. The game has never gone down to Sussex before so to be able to get my 50^th would be amazing but we have just got to see what Mitch has got up his sleeve.”

“Such an honour” – Jess Breach: Red Roses wing reflects on 50th England try – Women’s Rugby World Cup

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