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England have stuck with the same match-day squad that defeated France to take on Canada in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday at Twickenham with captain Zoe Aldcroft insisting “now is our time”.
It’s the first time this tournament that the England head coach, John Mitchell, has not made any changes to his team as the World Cup hosts look to get over the line in the final on home soil having lost the last two editions at the last hurdle to New Zealand. The decision means Jess Breach, who is the Red Roses’ top tryscorer with six, and World Rugby player of the year nominee Meg Jones are the only two players to start every game of the World Cup for England.
Aldcroft, who missed two of the pool matches due to injury before returning for the quarter-final victory over Scotland, said the team was ready to handle the pressure. “Just as a group we are so excited to get out there,” the 28-year-old who will start on the blindside flank, said. “We have been working on this now for three years and it is our time now, we really feel like that.”
Elsewhere, Ellie Kildunne, who was player of the match in the 35-17 semi-final defeat of France last weekend, resumes at full-back with Abby Dow completing the back three on the right wing.
Zoe Harrison links up again with Natasha Hunt at half-back with Jones and Tatyana Heard forming the centre partnership.
The front row is made up of Hannah Botterman, Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir. Abbie Ward and Morwenna Talling start in the second row, while Aldcroft, Sadia Kabeya and Alex Matthews make up the back row.
Matthews and Hunt are the only players in the matchday 23 who were involved in the 2014 World Cup win, the last time England won the World Cup in a defeat of Canada in Paris. The Canadians will be looking to win their first trophy on Saturday.
Mitchell said: “Our staff and players have worked hard to reach this stage of the tournament.
“Playing a World Cup final at Allianz Stadium in front of a record 82,000 is a significant milestone for the sport.
“We are well prepared for the challenge against Canada. It is number one versus number two in the world, and we know the contest will demand a full 80 minutes. Our focus remains on staying in our process and executing effectively.”
Aldcroft, who is from a playing era when she can still recall play in front of a few hundred, says where the game is now “gives her goosebumps” in anticipation of a sold-out Twickenham.
“We’re so excited to experience it,” Aldcroft said. “It’s something that we’ve never experienced but we’ve wanted for so long. I think just the momentum and the impact that we have had on fans throughout the tournament from the start of Sunderland to coming now into Twickenham, it’s just going to be so exciting to see where we have pushed women’s rugby to. We are just excited for this new era of women’s rugby on Saturday.”
England Kildunne; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft, Kabeya, Matthews. Replacements Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Feaunati, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.
