| Venue: Eden Park, Auckland Date: Saturday, 12 November Kick-off: 06:30 GMT |
| Coverage: Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live. Follow the BBC Sport website or app for live text commentary. |
The England captain Sarah Hunter and Simon Middleton, the England head coach, have been trying to conceal what they came to New Zealand for for weeks. But it is clear.
They came to exact revenge and were served cold.
The Black Ferns took the World Cup away from England in 2017. Middleton and Hunter then set their sights on New Zealand hosting the next tournament.
They were able to reclaim the title of world champions by taking the Black Ferns’ title back on their own turf.
They will face New Zealand in Saturday’s final at the sold-out Eden Park in Auckland. The outcome could not be better.
It is a fairytale,” Katy Daley Mcclean, England’s 2014 World Cup captain, said to the BBC. Rugby Union Daily podcast.
“If ever you want to win the World Cup, do it in New Zealand, Eden Park against Black Ferns. It’s impossible to get better.”
“We were told that women’s rugby was irrelevant.”
The World Cup has been bigger and better than any player from either side could ever have imagined.
Players and coaches looked at each other as the final approached.
New Zealanders with tickets for the women’s match are likely to set a new record of attendance at more than 40,000. New Zealanders without tickets have had to cancel their Saturday night plans in order to be able to catch it on television.
One million, a fifth of the country’s population, witnessed the dramatic semi-final victory against France.
England has an opportunity to redeem itself for 2017. Saturday, however, is an opportunity for women’s Rugby as a whole.
Ruby Tui, New Zealand’s star wing, summarised it best when she compared the current situation to 12 years ago.
She ordered a room to be filled with journalists.
“Nobody knows who Black Ferns are, what their look like, or how they follow women’s Rugby.
“We are told that you will not be paid. We are told that Eden Park is not being given to you for the World Cup and you won’t be selling it.
“We’re told that women’s Rugby doesn’t matter.”
“Here we stand 12 years later. Eden Park is fully booked. We are playing one of the top teams in the world, and I am sitting here with the most media I have ever spoken to about the Black Ferns. It’s a moment of special significance.
“Sometimes Kiwis can seem so laid-back that they lie down. But, we got up.”
Black Ferns flourish when support grows
New Zealanders have listened to the sport’s governing bodies in supporting its female players.
England are two-time world champions and were given full-time contracts in 2019.
They have now won a record 30 Tests and are currently ranked number one in the world.
Even though New Zealand won five World Cups, four of which were by beating England in final, they were made professionals earlier this year.
Contracts were negotiated and signed. damning cultural review A coaching shake-up led to Wayne Smith, two-time Men’s World Cup winner, being called out of retirement to take charge.
Although the Black Ferns lost two consecutive records to England in 2021 (which was before all those changes), New Zealand has won 11 Tests in succession since that failed tour of Europe.
The guru and the newcomer
Expect a clash between styles as New Zealand’s offloading maverick meets England’s formidable forward pack. The result could hinge on which coach is the most skilled.
Middleton has brought a fresh centre partnership To the final, Holly Aitchison & Emily Scarratt will be reunited for the first time since 2022 Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam in France.
Aitchison might help England get the ball for talented wings Abby Dow, Lydia Thompson. Smith recognized that England “might have an open game”, and added: “We must be prepared for everything.”
Middleton was the first female coach to be named World Rugby Coach Of The Year in 2021.
Smith has such a superior experience that Middleton coach can recall attending a masterclass together with the New Zealander at age 18.
Smith, 65, is described by Middleton 56 as a “coaching genius”, but Smith joked that Smith was a “newcomer”.
Smith will be retiring after the final. Middleton’s future is unknown.
‘A one-off game’
They approach Saturday from very different perspectives. Sarah Hirini from New Zealand says the side has “already won” and made it to the final. Sarah added that “we’re definitely underdogs.”
The Black Ferns carry a boombox so music can follow them wherever they go. They have also spoken of enjoying the World Cup final at home.
The Red Roses camp is calm. Even captain Hunter wears slippers to press conferences. Middleton’s message was clear: “You have to play the game.” You cannot play the occasion.
The outcome of the final could be affected by many factors, including the weather forecast. This can swing between sunny and stormy skies.
Hunter is pleased to have the chance of getting her goal, no matter how it ends.
She said that Saturdays are the reason she has lived her life for 15 years.
Everything goes out of the window when you reach finals. It’s a unique game. It’s all that matters.
Line-ups
England: Kildunne, Thompson, Scarratt and 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)
