Preview: Red Roses vs Canada
Everything you need to know ahead of the Red Roses' World Cup semi-final against Canada at Eden Park.
Simon Middleton's side reached their ninth consecutive World Cup semi-final after a powerful victory over Australia in tricky conditions.
England topped their pool with victories over Fiji, France and South Africa. A win against Canada this weekend would see the Red Roses reach their eighth World Cup final.
Sarah Hunter has been named captain, while Claudia MacDonald returns to the starting lineup on the left wing, Abby Dow is on the right and Helena Rowland is at full back.
Hannah Botterman starts while Amy Cokayne and Sarah Bern retain their positions in the front row. Zoe Aldcroft and Abbie Ward are the lock pairing. Alex Matthews and Marlie Packer join Sarah Hunter to make up the back row.
Watch Inside Line: Red Roses
Leanne Infante starts once again at scrum half alongside Zoe Harrison at fly half. Tatyana Heard retains her position at inside centre, alongside vice-captain Emily Scarratt.
Lark Davies, Vickii Cornborough, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Poppy Cleall, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison and Ellie Kildunne are the finishers.
You can watch the match live on ITV, follow updates on England Rugby's Instagram and Twitter accounts, and check out the reaction on EnglandRugby.com.
VIEWS FROM CAMP
Simon Middleton: "Claudia was outstanding against Fiji and she has been outstanding in training. She picked up that knock and we kept her out a little longer than anticipated. It's really important to pick on form, and when all players are on form you pick who is on best form, and it would have been tough for Claudia to miss out again having played so well against Fiji and trained so well.
"This is going to be a very difficult and physical game up front. We have looked a t a few things we think we can get them with. When we played them in the autumn they demonstrated what a good pack they are, they have some fantastic players. It's going to be a tough set piece battle."
Sarah Hunter: "We know their strengths. We are really looking forward to it, two rugby nations going for that final spot, we know it'll be a good game, but our focus has been on ourselves. Hopefully it'll be drier conditions to last week so we can play the way we want.
"Sophie De Goede is a great talent. We have seen her in the Premier 15s and it is great to see her coming through. She is a skilful player, we know they look to her and she drives the team around, so for us it'll be about trying to nullify the threat she poses."
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
2021 - England 52 - 12 Canada
2019 - England 19 - 17 Canada
2018 - England 27 - 19 Canada
2017 - England 49 - 12 Canada
2017 - England 79 - 5 Canada
TEAMS
Red Roses
Starters
15. Helena Rowland, 14. Abby Dow, 13. Emily Scarratt, 12. Tatyana Heard, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Zoe Harrison, 9. Leanne Infante, 1. Hannah Botterman, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Zoe Aldcroft, 5. Abbie Ward, 6. Alex Matthews, 7. Marlie Packer, 8. Sarah Hunter
Finishers
16. Lark Davies, 17. Vickii Cornborough, 18. Maud Muir, 19. Rosie Galligan, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Lucy Packer, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Ellie Kildunne
Canada
Starters
15. Elissa Alarie, 14. Maddy Grant, 13. Alysha Corrigan, 12. Sara Juvee, 11. Paige Farries, 10. Alex Tessier, 9. Justine Pelletier, 1. Olivia Demerchant, 2. Emily Tuttosi, 3. Daleaka Menin, 4. Courtney Holtkamp, 5. Mckinley Hunt, 6. Fabiola Forteza, 7. Karen Paquin, 8. Sophie De Goede (C).
Replacements
16. Gillian Boag, 17. Brittany Kassil, 18. Alex Ellis, 19. Ngalula Fuamba, 20. Tyson Beukeboom, 21. Gabrielle Senft, 22. Sara Svoboda, 23. Anais Holly.
KEY STATS
England are currently on a 29-game winning streak, the longest ever run in women’s or men’s Test rugby history.
The Red Roses have won each of their last eight Test matches against Canada
Canada have won each of their last eight Test matches, their longest ever winning run in Women’s Test rugby
England are the only team to have averaged over 60% possession (62.8%) and territory (60.3%) in this year’s Rugby World Cup,
WORLD CUP JOURNEY
Round 1 - Red Roses 84 - 19 Fiji
Round 2 - Red Roses 13 - 7 France
Related topics
- Attack
- T - Tries
- M - Metres carried
- C - Carries
- DB - Defenders beaten
- CB - Clean breaks
- P - Passes
- O - Offloads
- TC - Turnovers conceded
- TA - Try assists
- PTS - Points
- Defence
- Tackles - Tackles
- MT - Missed tackles
- TW - Turnovers won
- Kicking
- K - Kicks in play
- C - Conversions
- PG - Penalty goals
- DG - Drop goals
- Set plays
- TW - Throws won
- LW - Lineouts won
- LS - Lineout steals
- Discipline
- PC - Penalties conceded
- RC - Red cards
- YC - Yellow cards
Red Roses into RWC Final after beating Canada
The Red Roses defeated Canada 26-19 in their Rugby World Cup semi-final in Auckland.
Simon Middleton's side ran in three tries at Eden Park, stretching their record-breaking run of Test wins to 30 in a row, and reaching a sixth consecutive Rugby World Cup final.
Tries from Marlie Packer and Abby Dow, as well as 11 points from the boot of Emily Scarratt secured the victory.
England took the lead on the 8-minute mark, thanks to a powerful rolling maul off the back of a five metre lineout, Packer was the benefactor at the back and Emily Scarratt added the extras for an early 7-0 lead.
The Red Roses' second came moments later, as Helena Rowland returned a lacklustre Canadian kick with meaningful attack, taking on multiple defenders before feeding Dow out wide, who rounded Alex Tessier to claim the try.
A moment of magic from scrum half Justine Pelletier after 20 minutes saw team mate Karen Paquin go over, as Canada wrestled momentum back, and a converted Alysha Corrigan try levelled the match at 12-12 as half time approached. But Scarratt slotted a penalty to hand England a slender lead at the break.
The half time stats highlighted how competitive the Test was: England making 109 more metres and beating 10 extra defenders than their opponents, with Canada boasting more clean breaks.
The Red Roses struck early at the resumption through the boot of Scarratt, who claimed her eighth point of the match with an easy penalty, as injury forced Rowland off the pitch moments later, replaced by Ellie Kildunne.
Camped on their five metre line, with Canadian phases into double digits, England showed monumental defensive spirit to deny a third try on the 50-minute mark. Regaining possession on their own line, the Red Roses spread the ball wide and cantered up the pitch - spearheaded by Claudia MacDonald - who linked up with Dow, before the wing showed blistering pace to run in unopposed for her second score, making it 23-12.
Referee Aimee Barrett-Theron showed Vickii Cornborough a yellow card on 53 minutes for joining a maul incorrectly, and England managed her absence well, not conceding any points despite having 14 players on the pitch.
Canadian pressure was constant however, and replacement Tyson Beukeboom crossed with 13 minutes left in the match. Sophie De Goede's extras made it 23-19.
But moments after the restart, England won a penalty and Scarratt stepped up to pump the 30 metre effort over the posts to give England a 7 point cushion, and England held on to confirm a famous win - their ninth consecutive against Canada.
Reaction
Sarah Hunter: "Hopefully that was a great showcase of what women's rugby is all about, it went right down to the wire, and I'm so proud of how the team dug in at the end because Canada kept coming, but the girls put their bodies on the line and that's what it means to us, we were desperate to get to the final."
Emily Scarratt: "It was really tough. We know exactly what the crowd will be like next week whoever we play, if it's France or New Zealand, I have no doubt a large proportion of the crowd will be supporting them, but we don't care because when you think about bucket list stuff this is right up there. It'll be phenomenal."
TEAMS
Red Roses
Starters
15. Helena Rowland, 14. Abby Dow, 13. Emily Scarratt, 12. Tatyana Heard, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Zoe Harrison, 9. Leanne Infante, 1. Vickii Cornborough, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Zoe Aldcroft, 5. Abbie Ward, 6. Alex Matthews, 7. Marlie Packer, 8. Sarah Hunter.
Finishers
16. Lark Davies, 17. Maud Muir, 18. Shaunagh Brown, 19. Rosie Galligan, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Sadia Kabeya, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Ellie Kildunne.
Canada
Starters
15. Elissa Alarie, 14. Maddy Grant, 13. Alysha Corrigan, 12. Sara Juvee, 11. Paige Farries, 10. Alex Tessier, 9. Justine Pelletier, 1. Olivia Demerchant, 2. Emily Tuttosi, 3. Daleaka Menin, 4. Courtney Holtkamp, 5. Mckinley Hunt, 6. Fabiola Forteza, 7. Karen Paquin, 8. Sophie De Goede (C).
Replacements
16. Gillian Boag, 17. Brittany Kassil, 18. Alex Ellis, 19. Ngalula Fuamba, 20. Tyson Beukeboom, 21. Gabrielle Senft, 22. Sara Svoboda, 23. Anais Holly.
ROUTE TO THE FINAL
Round 1 - Red Roses 84 - 19 Fiji
Round 2 - Red Roses 13 - 7 France
Round 3 - Red Roses 75 - 0 South Africa
Quarter Final - Red Roses 41 - 5 Australia
Semi Final - Red Roses 26 - 19 Canada
