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Thursday
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Women's Rugby World Cup

Red Roses name team for final World Cup warm up


LEICESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 02: The Red Roses players arrive at the stadium prior to the Women's Rugby World Cup warm up match England Red Roses and Spain at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on August 02, 2025 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
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The Red Roses have made 11 changes to their starting XV to play France at Stade Guy Boniface on Saturday in their final match before the start of the 2025 Rugby World Cup, kicking off on Friday 22nd August, after securing a dominant 97-7 victory over Spain.

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A few notable players are due to start after being named on the bench last weekend including 2024 World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne who returns at full-back with Abby Dow, Tatyana Heard and Natasha Hunt all promoted from the replacements.

Jess Breach and Megan Jones retain their spots on the wing and in the midfield respectively, with Zoe Harrison staying as the starting fly-half.

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‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

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‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Hannah Botterman, Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir come into the front row with Morwenna Talling joining Abbie Ward in the second row.

Captain Zoe Aldcroft returns to the starting XV at blindside flanker, with Sadia Kabeya and Alex Matthews completing the back row.

England last played France in the Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider in April, which was decided by a single point, in a 43-42 victory to the Red Roses at Twickenham.

See which England players have made the RugbyPass Top 50 Women’s Players list. View the list here.

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Red Roses team to play France

15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 52 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Unattached, 53 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 26 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 30 caps)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 46 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 58 caps)
9 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 81 caps)
1 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 57 caps)
2 Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 83 caps)
3 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 41 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 22 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 75 caps)
6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 64 caps) – captain
7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 22 caps)
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 75 caps)

Replacements

16 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 67 caps)
17 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 14 caps)
18 Sarah Bern?(Bristol Bears, 72 caps)
19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 24 caps)
20 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 16 caps)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 32 caps)
22 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 40 caps)
23 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 9 caps)

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Comments on RugbyPass

c
cnw 11 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

NB I did not accept the central thesis your article after the England game that the ABs had a scrumming problem. I do now. The Boks dominance from game one especially in this area left the ABs scrambling to make up for the deficit. They did well to cover the cracks with some brilliant all of field tries, but I remember even in the glow of the first win, that ominous feeling that we just could not match the Bok set piece especially at scrum. For my part I think we saw some improvement in the fourth test - yes the ABs gave up some penalties, but it was not the ice skating kind. However, that fragility meant that the ABs had to place disproportionate pressure on the open running game to win, as well as pushing boundaries across every other facet of the game. Ultimately, when playing the most efficient, organised team on the planet - it was always going to be a too big of an ask. And if there was ever a time for a change of forward coach - and new position of director of high performance forwards development - it’s now.

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TokoRFC 12 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

Im not sure the regression is that clear. This was a tough tour with little lead up.

If they can’t fix these issues by the end of year tour though. Then I’ll be worried, mistakes will be made but they need to keep progressing to make it through that quarter final



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PB 28 minutes ago
Dave Rennie's initial assessment of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series

Ok we will revisit this topic. I think it is a myth. France have become more consistent, but still tend to lose against teams that can A, match them physically, and B with a strong defensive pattern.

For the record. Since 2013 Boks have played France 9 times and Boks lead 8-1. Only loss was in 2022 by 4 points



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PB 31 minutes ago
Jordan Petaia returns as Les Kiss reshuffles Wallabies for Springboks

Well that is pretty much consistent with Rassie’s tenure. We were pretty poor until he started building a new culture and attitude amongst the players.

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PB 33 minutes ago
No.1 Springboks are third-best in the World Rankings record books

Yes I did agree that Rassie has capped less players. That doesn't necessarily equate to blooding more players. If you give a player 1 cap, that isn't blooding. Giving him

Many hours in the saddle is.



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SF 33 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

The All Blacks have regressed. Where are the hard men All Black men of old? This fancy pansy type of rugby that the AB's want to play now is so ridiculous. Sort your scrum, sort your line out, sort your collisions. Before you play airy fairy.

France will also decimate this AB team.



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J
Jacque 33 minutes ago
'That sort of thing doesn't sit well with you': All Blacks coach left miffed by tackle on Josh Moorby

Ben, you write a load of BS 99% of the time.

Come with FACTS.



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PB 35 minutes ago
No.1 Springboks are third-best in the World Rankings record books

Your post…. With respect, I don’t buy this. If Rassie had thought he could win every test prior to 2024, he would have tried to.

Hence why I asked, how do you know what Rassie thinks….



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TokoRFC 38 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

I’ve been waiting for a place to reflect on the tour without the unnecessary negativity that popped up after the 4th test.

Well done Springboks, I think 3-1 was a fair result. Living with this Springboks side for 80mins is enough of a challenge, let alone 320 minutes! So the All Blacks can hold their heads high too. Perhaps a few bounces of the ball our way in the second test and we could have squeaked a drawn series, maybe.



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S
SF 40 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

The modern AB's want to play touch rugby. Colin Meads will turn in his grave with this AB lot. No grunt no hard men. The AB'S must continue with heir flower and pansies type of play. They will regress. Shame that the old school AB grunt is gone

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Hellhound 40 minutes ago
Jordan Petaia returns as Les Kiss reshuffles Wallabies for Springboks

Its Rassie and no one can predict what he will do, but I suspect that there will be massive changes. This series was brutal on both the Boks and AB's and 4 tests of that calibre will take a lot out of the players. They will get rest yes, or rather it's what I expect. The Wallabies confidence will be high after their inferior opponents they faced and will think they stand a chance.

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S
SC 42 minutes ago
'World class': Neil Barnes weighs in on Richie Mo'unga's Test return

Mo’unga will start one of the two Bledisloe Cup tests.

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S
SC 45 minutes ago
'World class': Neil Barnes weighs in on Richie Mo'unga's Test return

Moorby proved he has neither the pure speed or footwork to be a test wing against top tier nations. He certainly is not good enough to be an attacking fullback. Super Rugby is his ceiling, same with Carter.

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H
Hellhound 46 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus pinpoints 'pivotal' moment during triumph over All Blacks

That was rehashed and dealt with a long time ago. Did Gatland and Rennie got the same treatment? Nope, because WR got one set of rules for the Boks and a set of rules for the rest. Despite that, the Boks are still top and that is why you are so sour. Did you see all over social media how your own so called pundits rip Rennie for accusing the Boks of walking around in the scrums, and it's shown that it's actually the AB's walking around in the scrums? Karma coming home to roost don't you think?

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TT 48 minutes ago
'That sort of thing doesn't sit well with you': All Blacks coach left miffed by tackle on Josh Moorby

& he can count.

& every other distracting trick from the actual topic…as you'veno doubt forgotten, the trip.



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NoLongerARuck 49 minutes ago
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry deep dive - what has happened to the All Blacks’ scrum?

Alot of people have talked about how the AB's are making progress and getting closer to the Boks. Its also important to ask where the net gain has been. In 4 games under Razor the AB's attack failed dismally and struggled to score tries. The Boks outscored them comprehensively. Even so the All Blacks led for long periods in Joburg and Cape Town in 24. They lost each game by one score. They led all the way in Auckland and led for a quarter of the match in Wellington. Razors team always lost control in the final quarter of matches against the boks where the Boks bench completely overpowered them.

Under Rennie the AB's have scored plenty of tries, more than the Boks, they have rediscovered their attacking threat but they have regressed in other areas. Their scrum has totally capitulated, their lineout has been hammered, they are turning the ball over more at break down and in the tackle. They are making mistakes within their attacking template that has cost them and presented the Boks opportunities and so their defence has suffered with the Boks making hay in the last 3 games outscoring them in terms of tries and pts during that period. They have conceded 2 and 3 score leads in the last 3 matches heading into the final quarter. At Cape Town it was 16 points, Soweto 12 pts and in the US 15 pts. The Boks established control of Rennies team earlier and led for longer with AB's forced to chase games. They won the second half in Ellis Park comprehensively and the final quarters in the next 2 matches matches but little else illustrating the lack of control for the AB's.



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TT 51 minutes ago
'That sort of thing doesn't sit well with you': All Blacks coach left miffed by tackle on Josh Moorby

The problem with continuing a hole of your own BS is that just that your hole gets deeper eg To START your video AFTER the OFFENDING EVENT (ie the foot 2 foot clip & trip - THE WHOLE ISSUE - just as cnw video below shows) proves your desperate enough to delude yourself with your own BS.

‘The crowds are so happy with me’ said the NAKED king in front of the LAUGHING crowd.’



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63 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 51 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus pinpoints 'pivotal' moment during triumph over All Blacks

You got it wrong. Both teams got very harsh calls in all 4 tests, not only the Boks. I react to the stupidity of the fans. It's quite simple

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SC 52 minutes ago
Dave Rennie hints at former captain return, shares Bledisloe Cup squad plans

ABs front row cannot scrum, win lineouts consistently, or maul.

DeGroot and Lomax really harmed their reputations. Bower performed well as a reserve as did Numia. Newell the only tighthead who can scrummage.



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H
Hellhound 55 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus pinpoints 'pivotal' moment during triumph over All Blacks

If the Boks need the luck against the Wallabies, what does the AB's need to beat them when they got smashed 3-1?😂😂😂

59 Go to comments
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