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England make five changes for WXV 1 finale with New Zealand
Interim head coach Louis Deacon has made five changes to England’s matchday squad for their final WXV 1 match against New Zealand.
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The starting team features two changes with lock Rosie Galligan and inside centre Tatyana Heard earning starting positions. On the bench, Amy Cokayne, who scored a hattrick in the RWC2021 final against New Zealand, Sarah Beckett and Megan Jones are named as replacements.
Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies, who scored four tries last weekend, and Sarah Bern continue in an unchanged front row while Zoe Aldcroft, named as vice-captain, partners with Galligan in the second row.
Recently named among the nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, captain Marlie Packer earns her 99th cap for England and starts at openside flanker. She’s joined in the back row by Morwenna Talling and Alex Matthews.
Abby Dow, who also earned a nomination for 15s Player of the Year, starts on the right wing, with Claudia MacDonald starting on the left. Ellie Kildunne is named at fullback, while Helena Rowland joins Heard in the midfield, and is also named as vice-captain.
Holly Aitchison retains the starting fly-half jersey, while Natasha Hunt once again starts at scrum-half.
Deacon said: “As a group, we have developed immensely over the past 15 weeks on and off the field, and I am proud of the progress we have made.
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“We have enjoyed each other’s company and experienced the trials and tribulations of a long campaign together. Everyone has bought into the direction we want to go and, to date, we have reaped the rewards on pitch for our efforts.
“We have an opportunity to take another step forward on Saturday night against the tournament hosts and it’s one we are relishing.”
The match marks the first meeting between the Black Ferns and England since the RWC2021 final last year where New Zealand won the title with a 34-31 scoreline.
Since their first meeting in 1997, the two sides have faced each other a total of 30 times with England winning 10, New Zealand winning 19, and one match ending in a draw.
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However, in the last six meetings, each team have won three each. So far in WXV 1, England are unbeaten having won their opening fixtures against Australia (42-7) and Canada (45-12). New Zealand suffered a loss to France (17-18) in their opening match, before striking back with a 70-7 victory over Wales.
England currently top WXV 1 with ten points after two bonus-point wins while the Black Ferns are in second place with six points. In order for New Zealand to win overall, they will need to beat England with a bonus point.
South Africa’s Aimee Barrett-Theron will referee the match, and in doing so will surpass Sara Cox as the most-capped female referee in test history in what will be her 37th test.
Tune in to the match on ITV X or RugbyPass TV, with kick-off at 19:00 local time, 06:00 BST.
England XV: Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Helena Rowland, Tatyana Heard, Claudia MacDonald, Holly Aitchison, Natasha Hunt; Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Zoe Aldcroft, Rosie Galligan, Morwenna Talling, Marlie Packer (capt.), Alex Matthews
Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, Sarah Beckett, Maisy Allen, Ella Wyrwas, Megan Jones, Jess Breach
Comments on RugbyPass
What a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to comments