YORK Valkyrie stars Tara Stanley, Grace Field and Olivia Wood were on the scoresheet as England began their World Cup campaign by thrashing Brazil 72-4 at Headingley Stadium.

Stanley crossed for her first of two tries after just six minutes, squeezing through down the right side on the back of a six-again and penalty for England.

The number one, who featured at right centre, bagged her second just before half time.

Another penalty gave the tournament hosts enough field position for Stanley to step over at the right corner in trademark style.

The Valkyrie ace also finished with eight conversions from 14 attempts.

Just shy of the half hour, Field claimed a rare try as a prop forward. Seconds after replacing York team-mate Olivia Wood, the front-rower finished off a Victoria Molyneux break.

Field was celebrating a brace just a couple of minutes after the restart for the second half but a knock-on was ruled in the build-up to her grounding of Courtney Winfield-Hill’s grubber.

England’s 14th and final try, with only a handful of seconds on the clock, was scored by Wood, with the prop finding her way through a tiring Brazil defence before running behind the posts.

Fellow York forward Hollie Dodd, one of three Valkyrie World Cup debutants alongside Field and Wood, came off the bench for Craig Richards’ side to assist Winfield-Hill’s hat-trick score.

Amy Hardcastle also bagged a personal treble, with further tries provided by Caitlin Beevers, Fran Goldthorp, Tara Jones and Leah Burke.

England will be under no illusions that far tougher tasks lie ahead in their quest for a maiden World Cup than tournament debutants Brazil, whose historic four points were provided by Natalia Momberg’s try.

Next up for England is another Group ‘A’ clash with Canada at Wigan’s DW Stadium on Saturday afternoon (12pm).