Bristol (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Tournament favourites England set a new record of 31 straight Test wins as they stormed into the semi-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup with a 40-8 thrashing of Scotland in Bristol on Sunday.

Victory meant England – unbeaten since losing the 2022 World Cup final – broke their own record of 30 successive victories in a match where they scored six tries.

Event hosts England will now play France, who edged out Ireland 18-13 earlier in the day, in a Bristol semi-final a week on Sunday.

Les Bleues pushed the Red Roses desperately close before England won 43-42 at Twickenham during the Women’s Six Nations in April.

Scotland, who last beat England in 1999, opened the scoring Sunday through Helen Nelson’s penalty.

But that was as good as it got for the Scots, with England running in four tries in the first half to lead 26-3 at the interval.

England, who last won the World Cup in 2014 and have been beaten in five of the past six finals by New Zealand, were buoyed by the return of captain Zoe Aldcroft from injury.

“It’s amazing to be back out there with the girls,” Aldroft told the BBC.

“We are excited to get into this week and prepare as much as we can to get us in a good position for this weekend.”

- Scotland pride -

Scotland, who opened the tournament with an impressive 38-8 win over Wales, were simply outclassed by a superior England side that went professional long before the Dark Blues introduced paid contracts for any of their players.

“I am disappointed with the outcome,” said Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm.

“But overall when I reflect on the tournament, I’m proud of how we have shown up in attack and defence and where we want to take Scotland women’s rugby.”

Defeat meant outgoing boss Bryan Easson had overseen his last game as Scotland coach, with Malcolm adding: “We are going to miss him hugely.”

England hammered Scotland 59-7 in this season’s Six Nations but it was the Dark Blues who opened the scoring through Nelson’s penalty.

It was largely one-way traffic from then on, however, as England, playing classic wet-weather rugby, with fly-half Holly Aitchison kicking intelligently out of hand, scored two converted tries in three minutes to lead 14-3.

Kelsey Clifford spun out of a tackle to power over, showing England’s depth at prop in the absence of injured star front row Hannah Botterman.

Morwenna Talling, with the lock well supported by Sadia Kabeya, added another try in the 15th minute.

And outstanding wing Abby Dow, after more good work by the forwards, was then left in a huge amount of space to score her 50th Test try before Clifford forced her way over again on the stroke of half-time.

More power play early in the second half saw Amy Cokayne score a try off the back of a maul.

There was an emotional moment when Jake Konkel, Scotland’s first professional women’s player, left the field in tears when replaced in the 47th minute in what is set to be the No 8’s final match before retirement.

Aitchison scored England’s sixth try in the 64th minute, after taking an inside pass from replacement Zoe Harrison.

The stand-off then converted her own score, with Aitchison adding the extra for five of England’s tries.

Scotland, in their first World Cup quarter-final since 2002, had the last word with a try from Rhona Lloyd but by then the 80 minutes were up on the clock, with the result long since decided.