Red Roses v Black Ferns - Women's Internationals 2024

9 Sep 2024 | 2 min | 1

Preview: Red Roses v Black Ferns

Everything you need to know as the Red Roses take on New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 14th September.

Following their successful outing against France at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester, John Mitchell’s team return to Allianz Stadium to face the Black Ferns.

The two sides last played each other at the inaugural WXV 1 tournament, where the Red Roses won 33-12 to claim revenge for their Rugby World Cup 2021 final defeat.

Saturday’s fixture will be the last game for the team before they travel to Vancouver for this year’s WXV 1 where they will once again face New Zealand, as well as Canada and the USA.

The game kicks off at 14:30 BST on Saturday 14th September and will be shown live on BBC One.

Last time out

Views from camp

Amy Cokayne: “We haven’t played New Zealand on home soil very often so it’s always a huge battle, and to be able to play that kind of fixture at such an amazing stadium, I think both teams will be looking forward to it.

“I love playing against New Zealand, it’s definitely one of those games that no one needs any external motivation to get up for.”

Natasha Hunt: "New Zealand are historically a very big forward pack, they love the attritional ‘tuck it up the jumper and run over you’, but have also got silky skills out in the backs.

“In the World Cup final they had the nod and then we went over there and beat them in WXV on their own turf, so it’s going to be a feisty one I imagine.

“I’m really excited that we get the opportunity to run out at Allianz Stadium - to bring that level of game to London and to be able to do it in our home stadium is pretty epic.”

Lark Atkin-Davies: "We’re all excited to go and play at Allianz Stadium, it’s always special to run out there.

“We know it’s going to be a massive challenge against New Zealand and that’s what we love. We love the challenge. It’s what we want, it’s what we need and it’s what will keep growing the game.”

Jess Breach: “Us playing them now, and then again in WXV just shows how much growth the game is having that they can come over to us on the way to WXV and we can play them twice leading into the World Cup.

"The more we play them and the more we get used to playing them, then hopefully when it comes to the World Cup it will be a different story.”

Red Roses Squad for New Zealand Week

Forwards

Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 54 caps)

Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)

Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)

Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)

Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury, uncapped)

Delaney Burns (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)

Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 16 caps)

Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 75 caps)

Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 66 caps)

Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 8 caps)

Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 6 caps)

Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 16 caps)

Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning, 1 cap)

Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 68 caps)

Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 31 caps)

Marlie Packer (Saracens, 105 caps)

Connie Powell (Harlequins, 19 caps)

Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 14 caps)

Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 65 caps)

Backs

Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 31 caps)

Jess Breach (Saracens, 39 caps)

Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)

Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women, 46 caps)

Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 50 caps)

Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 23 caps)

Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 73 caps)

Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 44 caps)

Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 45 caps)

Phoebe Murray (Bristol Bears, uncapped)

Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 22 caps)

Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 30 caps)

Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 6 caps)

Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 112 caps)

Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)

Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, 6 caps)

Previous encounters

2023: New Zealand 12-33 Red Roses

2022: New Zealand 34-31 Red Roses

2021: Red Roses 56-15 New Zealand

2021: Red Roses 43-12 New Zealand

2019: Red Roses 13-28 New Zealand

Red Roses

14 Sep 2024 | 5 min |

Red Roses claim victory against New Zealand

The Red Roses defeated the Black Ferns at Allianz Stadium with a comprehensive 24-12 win in their final Test before travelling to Canada for WXV1. With 41,523 fans in attendance, John Mitchell's side scored four tries through Marlie Packer, Abby Dow, Ellie Kildunne and Natasha Hunt.

The Black Ferns threatened to open the scoring eight minutes in when Ayisha Leti-I'iga broke down the wing, but an excellent cover tackle by Jess Breach allowed Kildunne to force the turnover. Minutes later Leti-I'iga again found herself bearing down on the line following a break from Katelyn Vaha'akolo, but another Kildunne intervention dislodged the ball and kept the scores level.

On the 15 minute mark a powerful burst from Sarah Bern put the Red Roses in the opposition half and Natasha Hunt kicked long to the corner. Alex Matthews won a penalty from the New Zealand lineout and England kicked to the corner before setting their maul up well to put Packer over to open the scoring. Aitchison's conversion went wide leaving a 5-0 lead.

When the Black Ferns looked to respond with a lineout on the English 22m, Abbie Ward stole the ball and England worked the ball wide to Dow. Dow handed off one defender and stepped around another to eat up Black Fern territory.

Despite being brought down 20 metres from the line, Dow was not to be denied when a few minutes later she stepped past Vaha'akolo and raced in to score in the corner. Aitchison's kick was unsuccessful and England's lead remained.

The Red Roses continued to push and forced consecutive penalties before kicking to the corner. From the resulting maul, the ball was worked wide and found Kildunne in space who stepped her way to the line before reaching out to score. Aitchison converted to open up a 17-point lead with two minutes of the half remaining.

Just before half-time Zoe Aldcroft received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle, but the Black Ferns could not capitalise from the resulting penalty.

The Red Roses began the second half at pace as New Zealand knocked on from the kick off. From the resulting scrum in the New Zealand 22m, England worked the phases before Hunt dummied and stretched over the line to score. Aitchison added the extras and opened up a 24-0 lead.

The Black Ferns hit back after 51 minutes through Vaha'akolo after her kick ahead bounced awkwardly into the hands of Ruahei Demant, who offloaded to Vaha'akolo to score. Renee Holmes' conversion went wide to leave the score at 24-5.

Vaha'akolo scored her second 10 minutes later as New Zealand worked the ball from side to side and Holmes added the extras to make it 24-12.

England looked to respond a few minutes later, and a smart pass from Tatyana Heard found Amy Cokayne who showed great pace before passing to Helena Rowland, but the ball trickled into touch.

The Black Ferns pushed for a third try but with Georgia Brock on for her debut, England's defence held firm to secure the 24-12 win.

The Red Roses are next in action on Sunday 29 September as they open their WXV 1 campaign against the USA, before facing the Black Ferns again and ending their campaign against hosts Canada.