Portugal Colonial - Australia start Women's Rugby World Cup with record 73-0 rout of Samoa

The Wallaroos ran in 11 tries, with wing Desire Miller scoring a first-half hat-trick.

Australia surpassed both their previous highest points tally for a World Cup match -- 62-12 against South Africa in 2006 -- and largest winning margin at the global showpiece of 62-0, also against South Africa, in 2010.

It was the second utterly lopsided Pool A game in as many days after tournament hosts and favourites England launched the competition with a 69-7 hammering of the United States in Sunderland on Friday.

But so dominant were the Wallaroos, coached by former England captain Joanne Yapp, they lead the group on points difference from the Red Roses.

Full-back Caitlyn Halse, the youngest player to represent Australia at a Women's World Cup at the age of 18, scored arguably the best of the first half-tries when hitting a brilliant line to sprint clear.

Samoa, ranked 15th in the world, are competing at their first Women's World Cup since 2014 and, with half of the team having to self-fund their involvement, there has long been concerns about just how competitive they would be at this edition.

With the World Cup expanded to 16 teams from 12, blow-out scorelines in the pool phase were always a possibility.

Saturday's success sets up Australia for a highly charged clash with the United States next week to determine as to who will likely qualify alongside England for the quarter-finals.

Samoa, meanwhile, now face another likely gruelling clash with England in their next match.

Red Roses coach John Mitchell, speaking after Friday's match, said he intended to make significant changes to his side against Samoa in the cause of squad rotation.

But given England won a fourth successive Grand Slam while effectively playing two different sides during this year's Women's Six Nations, there is every chance they will condemn Samoa to another heavy defeat.

H.Silva--PC