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Two matches and three teams stand between England and achieving Rugby World Cup success.
The Red Roses will face France in the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup this Saturday in Bristol, following the clash between Canada and New Zealand in the other semi-final the previous evening.
Having consistently won every game in the tournament by margins exceeding 30 points, it is anticipated that England will experience a tightening of both nerves and scorelines at this stage.
Now, who else is vying for the title?
New Zealand
The six-time champions appear to have perfectly timed their approach once again.
With the youthful brilliance of teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee, dynamic flanker Jorja Miller, and scrum-half Maia Joseph, they have invigorated a squad that retains the experience of captain Ruahei Demant and legendary Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
After facing disruptions related to internal matters leading into the last Rugby World Cup held in their homeland, coach Allan Bunting has successfully cultivated a strong sense of unity among them.
Whenever New Zealand participates in the women’s World Cup, there is an air of inevitability that enhances their confidence and diminishes that of their competitors, particularly England. The Red Roses have faced New Zealand in five finals and have not managed a victory.
Yet, there are vulnerabilities in their setup.
During their quarter-final against South Africa, New Zealand struggled with the Springboks' aggressive play in the first half, as the South Africans made ground through powerful driving mauls and assertive forward play.
England possesses the necessary strength in their forwards to create similar advantages, and the early phases of the match may provide the perfect opportunity.
The victory over South Africa marked the second instance where New Zealand started a match slowly. The Black Ferns were also caught off guard by Japan, who managed to score the initial try through a gap in their defense before ultimately losing 62-19.
Canada
Canada ranks just behind the dominant world number ones, England.
Their on-field accomplishments have matched their impressive standings; last year, they achieved their first-ever win against New Zealand, triumphing 22-19 to secure the Pacific Four Series.
They further supported that success with a 27-27 draw against the Black Ferns four months ago in Christchurch.
Nearly half of their squad has developed their skills through England’s Premier Rugby, and they are all adept players across various aspects of rugby.
The back three, consisting of Julia Schell, Alysha Corrigan, and Asia Hogan-Rochester, complements the skillful center pairing of Alex Tessier and Florence Symonds.
Sophie De Goede, who leads the team as captain, follows in the footsteps of both her parents. This 26-year-old Saracen, recently returned from a serious knee injury, made a significant impact in the quarter-final win over Australia, contributing with important goals and being influential across the pitch.
A dedicated training camp supported by a C$1 million (£530,000) fundraising initiative, dubbed Mission: Win Rugby World Cup, has fostered a more unified and connected team.
Head coach Kevin Rouet has stated that his team is "too Canadian," indicating a deficiency in the killer instinct needed to secure victories decisively.
Scotland has posed the closest challenge to Canada thus far in the tournament, and England's coach, John Mitchell, will have observed how Evie Gallagher and Fran McGhie managed to score tries with skillfully angled runs near the breakdown.
France
Before England can think about facing either New Zealand or Canada, they must first navigate a match against France.
Given how the Red Roses decisively defeated France with a score of 40-6 during their last Rugby World Cup warm-up on France's home ground, this should be an uncomplicated task.
However, France has a tendency to elevate their performance during crucial moments and possess a strong competitive spirit.
Earlier this year, they pushed England to within a single point in the final round of the Six Nations, with a second-half resurgence resulting in a narrowly achieved 43-42 victory for the Red Roses.
In their quarter-final match against Ireland, France succeeded where they previously struggled at Allianz Stadium. Though they initially conceded 13 unanswered points in the first half, they regrouped in the second half to secure an 18-13 win.
Pauline Bourdon-Sansus is arguably the top scrum-half in women's rugby, driving her team forward with pace from the base. Additionally, wings Kelly Arbey and Joanna Grisez have previously scored remarkable tries against England.
Whether France can compete effectively in the forward pack remains uncertain. In their last encounter, five of England's six tries originated from the forwards, and France will require significant improvement to achieve balance in the pack.
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