NZ begins Women's Rugby World Cup defense with a win and Brazil debuts

New Zealand began its defense of the Women’s Rugby World Cup by scratching a 54-8 win over Spain in York on Sunday.

The Black Ferns were comfortable eight-try winners — with only 13 players for the last quarter — but at the possible cost of flanker Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who suffered a right leg injury and was carried off the field in tears.

Olsen-Baker missed the 2022 home World Cup because of a training injury and lasted only 14 minutes in York.

Other injured players couldn't be replaced because the bench was already empty, but even with 13 players New Zealand scored two tries though conceded its very first try to Spain in injury time.

Ireland and South Africa achieved their highest World Cup scores in their opening matches.

Ireland overcame Japan 42-14 and, in the second game of the Northampton doubleheader, South Africa overwhelmed debutant Brazil 66-6.

Both teams' previous best scores were against Kazakhstan: Ireland’s was 40-5 in 2014 and South Africa's was just 25-10 in 2010.

Brazil's Yaras became the first team from South America to feature in the World Cup and played only their 18th test ever.

New Zealand made all the running, 1,600 meters to Spain's 348, and committed Spain to a staggering 221 tackles. But last passes by the Black Ferns were frequently missed amid an inspired scrambled defense by Las Leones, who were playing New Zealand for the first time in 27 years.

“There was a lot of excitement out there and some of those passes were not sticking,” New Zealand captain Alana Bremner said. “But first game we weren't expecting perfection.”

With nine players from the 2022 final and another nine making their World Cup debut, New Zealand didn't click in its first test in six weeks until Jorja Miller scored from out of nothing. She stepped two defenders on the Spain 22, slipped another, and split two more in a brilliant solo try.

The world's best sevens player was over again four minutes later, then player of the match Liana Mikaele-Tu'u crashed over and it was 21-0 after 24 minutes. But the Black Ferns couldn't score another try until the second half.

The halftime injection of Olsen-Baker in place of Miller, lock Laura Bayfield and scrumhalf Risi Pouri-Lane helped New Zealand up the tempo and 21-3 at halftime quickly blew out to 35-3.

The un-retired Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scored to extend her World Cup all-time tries record to 21 but dropping to 13 players slowed down New Zealand.

Spain, coming off a 97-7 warmup loss to England this month, could not exploit its two-player advantage until injury time, when prop Ines Antolinez Fernandez burrowed over from a tap penalty. In the excitement, Amalia Argudo took too long to convert and timed out.

Both teams, in the same pool as New Zealand and Spain, targeted their tournament opener at sunny Franklin's Gardens as a key step toward making the quarterfinals. Japan gave away height and weight advantages to higher-ranked Ireland but won their last matchup in 2022 and was buoyed by wins this year over the U.S. and Spain.

Japan had eight visits to the 22, almost as many as Ireland, but wasn't as good at protecting the ball. Ireland's ability to break tackles and produce almost 400 post-contact meters was also decisive. The Irish scored six converted tries.

“This is the first World Cup game for most of us but it didn't feel like it,” Ireland co-captain Eden McMahon told the BBC. “The young girls took it in their stride so to be in that environment is very empowering.”

Ireland began its first World Cup match in eight years like it was trying to make up for lost time.

Tries by wingers Amee-Leigh Costigan and Beibhinn Parsons, hooker Neve Jones and first-time test flanker Fiona Tuite gave Ireland a four-try bonus point by halftime and seemingly the win.

But Japan's try by midfielder Haruka Hirotsu in the first half was added to by flanker Masami Kawamura to start the second and they trailed only 28-14.

Big runs by Kawamura and wing Misaki Matsumura propelled Japan to the Irish posts again and they looked set to score their third try but Ireland center Eve Higgins intercepted and ran 90 meters to the other end for the clincher for Ireland and heartbreak for Japan.

Brazil embraced the historic occasion, many of the team having played sevens in the Olympics. Before the game, the music for their national anthem stopped but they kept singing, loudly and proudly.

However, Brazil had never faced a team as experienced as South Africa, or a player like No. 8 Aseza Hele. Hele was a breakout star at the 2022 World Cup, beating 20 defenders, far more than any other forward. On Sunday, she was a wrecking ball again as she became the first female Springbok to score a World Cup hat trick in just 50 minutes of work.

Winger Ayanda Malinga would have equaled Hele but a brilliant 60-meter solo try in the 81st minute was chalked off due to obstruction.

While South Africa reached halftime 26-3 up, it was made to sweat for every point by a swarming Brazilian defense that eventually made 241 tackles and didn't tire until the end.

Brazil's determination to chance whatever ball it got saw it run from behind its own posts. Backs Edna Santini and Bianca Silva were a handful.

“We gave everything we have,” Brazil captain Eshyllen Coimbra said after her team-leading 24 tackles. “We knew it wasn't going to be an easy game but we believed until the end and we just wanted to play together.”

Unmissable with a spiky mohawk, Raquel Kochhann kicked Brazil’s first points, and a second penalty in the second half. They meet France next weekend.

Counterattacks led to many of South Africa's 10 tries and the best of them was straight after halftime. Fullback Byrhandre Dolf ran out of her 22, Roos shimmied to halfway and chipped, Dolf regathered and unselfishly sent Hele in between the posts.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

New Zealand's Ayesha Leti-I'iga scores a try during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Pool C match between New Zealand and Spain at York Community Stadium in York, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

New Zealand's Ayesha Leti-I'iga breaks through and scores a try during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Pool C match between New Zealand and Spain at York Community Stadium in York, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

South Africa's Jacomina Cilliers is tackled during the group D match at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup between South Africa and Brazil in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

South Africa's Aseza Hele, right, is tackled by Brazil's Camilla Carvalho during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Pool D match at Franklin's Gardens in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)/PA via AP)

Ireland's Fiona Tuite runs on her way to score a try, during the group C match between Ireland and Japan of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Players celebrate as Ireland's Amee Leigh Costigan, down, scored a try during the group C match at the 2025 Women¥s Rugby World Cup between Ireland and Japan in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Ireland's Beibhinn Parsons, center, runs to score a try during the group C match between Ireland and Japan of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Ireland's Edel McMahon, center, is tackled by Japan's Sachiko Kato, left and Japan's Seina Saito during the group C match between Ireland and Japan of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)

Ireland's Eve Higgins, evades a tackle during the group C match between Ireland and Japan of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, in Northampton, England, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center was running out of options Friday evening to keep President Donald Trump's name on the facade of the iconic performing arts venue.

A judge earlier in the afternoon rejected a request to pause a court-ordered deadline of Friday to remove references to Trump from the building and other aspects of the Kennedy Center's operations. The institution appealed that ruling, an effort that was also rebuffed Friday evening.

Scaffolding was erected earlier in the day around a section of the building that includes Trump's name. After a round of storms passed Friday evening, multiple workers were back at the scene further building out the scaffolding in an apparent effort to prepare for removing the letters referencing the president.

Dozens of people gathered in the plaza in front of the Kennedy Center taking pictures and cheering occasionally as workers built the scaffolding.

After ignoring the Kennedy Center for much of his first term, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his return to office. Just a month into his second term, he ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. Trump's name was quickly added to the building.

In his ruling that only Congress could make changes to the Kennedy Center's name, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July and last for two years.

The Kennedy Center's leadership argued in its appeal Friday that the renovation was badly needed and accused the lower court, in terms that seemed similar to Trump's speech patterns, of interfering in the effort.

“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” according to the appeal. “Indeed, total collapse!”

Even as the Kennedy Center has fought efforts to remove Trump's name from the building, it has taken steps to comply with Cooper's initial ruling.

A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s website has dropped Trump's name. And an earlier email sent to members offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump’s name.

Associated Press journalists Anna Johnson, Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Workers construct scaffolding at the sign for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Workers erect scaffolding in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Workers construct scaffolding below the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Workers erect scaffolding in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A worker sits on scaffolding at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)