The Black Ferns started strong in their WXV1 clash with England, but quickly fell away to lose in Langley, Canada.
New Zealand took an early lead as Kaipo Olsen-Baker picked up at the base of an attacking scrum and powered through to score.
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Renee Holmes converted but as the half wore on, the quality of England’s back three began to dazzle and take the match away from their opponents.
Red Roses full-back Ellie Kildunne provided the assist for Abby Dow in the 10th minute, the winger finishing brilliantly in the right corner.
Helena Rowland added the extras to pull England level and they took the lead nine minutes later as Player of the Match Jess Breach went over the first of her three tries.
Kildunne turned try-scorer with 12 minutes of the first half remaining, and after Ayesha Leti-I’iga produced a fine catch to score her first test try since returning from injury, the England full-back got a second following a fine offload from Breach.
That made the half-time score 22-12 and the Red Roses took the match away from the world champions with three tries in the opening 12 minutes of the second half.
Dow, Hunt – from a charge down – and Breach were the players to cross the whitewash, Rowland adding her second conversion to take the score to 39-12.
New Zealand hit back through Georgia Ponsonby and Maia Roos but Breach completed her hat-trick in the final minutes before replacement Zoe Harrison went over to take England to 49 points.
The result had long been decided but the Black Ferns had the last say as Maama Vaipulu went over in the final play. The nine tries scored against them was the largest number in Black Ferns history.
Their next game is against France on Sunday.
England 49 (Abby Dow 2, Jess Breach 3, Ellie Kildunne 2, Natasha Hunt, Zoe Harrison tries; Helena Rowland 2 con) Black Ferns 31 (Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Georgia Ponsonby, Maia Roos, Maama Vaipulu tries; Renee Holmes con, Hannah King 2 con). HT: 22-12.