Rugby World Cup: England seek revenge over New Zealand in final

For weeks England caput manager Simon Middleton and skipper Sarah Hunter person tried to fell what they truly came to New Zealand for - but it is obvious.

The Black Ferns snatched the World Cup from England successful 2017 and, erstwhile it was announced successful 2018 that New Zealand would big the adjacent tournament, Middleton and Hunter nailed down their goal.

They came to instrumentality the rubric of satellite champions backmost from the Black Ferns connected their ain turf.

On Saturday they look New Zealand successful the last astatine a sold-out Eden Park successful Auckland. Things could not person worked retired better.

"It is simply a fairytale," Katy Daley-Mclean, who captained England successful their 2014 World Cup win, told the BBC's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"If you ever privation to triumph a World Cup, to bash it successful New Zealand, astatine Eden Park, against the Black Ferns - it doesn't get immoderate bigger oregon amended than that."

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'We were told women's rugby didn't matter'

In fact, this World Cup has go bigger and amended than immoderate of the players from either broadside had dared to dream.

As the last approached, players and coaches alike stared wide-eyed astatine the packed property rooms that welcomed them each day.

A caller grounds attendance for a women's rugby lucifer of much than 40,000 is expected and New Zealanders who person not managed to container tickets person been cancelling Saturday nighttime plans to marque definite they tin ticker connected television.

One cardinal - a 5th of the country's colonisation - caught the side's melodramatic semi-final triumph against France.

England person an accidental to marque amends for 2017, but Saturday is besides an accidental for women's rugby arsenic a whole.

New Zealand's prima helping Ruby Tui summed it up champion arsenic she compared this week to the concern 12 years ago.

"Imagine this," she ordered a country afloat of journalists.

"Nobody knows who the Black Ferns are, cipher knows what they look like, cipher follows women's rugby.

"We're told, 'you volition ne'er beryllium paid'. We're told, 'we're not giving you Eden Park for the World Cup - you're not going to merchantability it out'.

"We're told, 'women's rugby doesn't matter'.

"Here we are 12 years later. Eden Park is sold out. We are astatine home, playing the champion teams successful the satellite and I'm sitting present talking to the astir media I've ever talked to for the Black Ferns. It's a peculiar moment.

"Sometimes Kiwis tin beryllium truthful laid-back we're lying down, but we yet got up."

Black Ferns thrive arsenic enactment grows

The New Zealand nationalist has followed the sport's governing assemblage successful yet supporting its women's players.

Two-time satellite champions England are 1 of the best-supported women's sides successful the world, having been fixed full-time contracts successful 2019.

That has helped them to a grounds 30 Test wins successful a enactment and the Red Roses person been apical of the satellite rankings since November 2020.

Despite winning 5 World Cups - 4 of which came by beating England successful the last - New Zealand were lone made nonrecreational earlier this year.

Contracts were brought successful and a damning taste review led to a coaching shake-up that brought two-time men's World Cup-winning manager Wayne Smith retired of status to pb the side.

The Black Ferns suffered 2 grounds defeats to England successful 2021, but that was earlier each those changes, and New Zealand person won 11 Tests successful a enactment since that unsuccessful circuit of Europe.

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The guru v the newcomer

With a clash of styles expected arsenic New Zealand's maverick offloading crippled meets England's mighty guardant pack, the effect whitethorn good hinge connected which of the coaches is astir wily.

Middleton has brought a fresh centre partnership to the last arsenic Holly Aitchison and Emily Scarratt commencement unneurotic for the archetypal clip since the Red Roses won the 2022 Women's Six Nations Grand Slam successful France.

Aitchison whitethorn assistance England get the shot to talented wings Abby Dow and Lydia Thompson, and Smith recognised England "might person a ace astatine an unfastened game", adding: "We person to beryllium prepared for anything."

Middleton, who became the archetypal manager of a pistillate squad to beryllium named World Rugby Coach of the Year successful 2021, says trying to outsmart idiosyncratic of Smith's estimation is "brilliant".

Such is Smith's superior experience, Middleton manager tin retrieve attending a masterclass with the New Zealander aged 18.

While Middleton, 56, describes Smith, 65, arsenic a "coaching guru", Smith jokingly called his other fig a "newcomer".

Smith volition instrumentality to status aft the final, whereas Middleton's aboriginal remains uncertain.

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'A one-off game'

The 2 sides are approaching Saturday precise differently. New Zealand flanker Sarah Hirini says they person "already won" by making it to the final, adding: "We're decidedly underdogs."

The Black Ferns, who transportation a roar container truthful that euphony follows them wherever they go, person spoken astir enjoying the juncture of a sold-out location World Cup final.

The Red Roses campy exudes calm - skipper Hunter adjacent attends property conferences successful slippers. Middleton's connection is clear: "You've got to play the game. You can't play the occasion."

Many things could find the result of the last - including the upwind forecast, which swings betwixt sunshine and thunderstorms.

However it finishes, Hunter is gladsome astatine slightest to beryllium successful with a accidental of getting what she came for.

"Days similar Saturday are astir apt wherefore I've lived my beingness for the past 15 positive years," she said.

"When you get to finals, everything goes retired the window. It's a one-off game. Nothing other matters."

Line-ups

England: Kildunne; Thompson, Scarratt, Aitchison, Dow; Harrison, Infante; Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Aldcroft, Ward, Matthews, M Packer, Hunter (capt).

Replacements: Davies, Muir, Brown, O'Donnell, Cleall, Kabeya, MacDonald, Heard.

New Zealand: Holmes; Tui, Fluhler, Fitzpatrick, Woodman; Demant (capt), Cocksedge; Love, Ponsonby, Rule, Roos, C Bremner, A Bremner, Hirini, McMenamin.

Replacements: Connor, Murray, Taumata, Ngan-Woo, Simon, Bayler, Tubic, Leti-I'iga.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)

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