The Red Roses' World Cup Journey
The Red Roses will face the Black Ferns in their eighth Rugby World Cup final on Saturday. This is how they got there.
The Red Roses touched down in New Zealand two weeks prior to their opening fixture against Fiji at Eden Park. The team enjoyed the local area as they settled in to their new camp.
Round 1: Red Roses 84-19 Fiji
Simon Middleton’s side got their campaign off to a flying start with an 84-19 victory over Fiji, running in 14 tries and setting the record for the most ever scored in a Women’s World Cup fixture.
Sadia Kabeya was named player of the match, while Abby Dow made her return to the international stage after breaking her leg in England's TikTok Women's Six Nations match against Wales in April. The wing marked her return with a brilliant second-half score after coming off the bench.
After the game, Middleton said: "We were out of our seats. We’re so pleased for her, she's had such a tough journey back but she's worked tirelessly along with our medical department, in particular Emily Ross who has invested loads time into her. All of us, all the teammates were absolutely thrilled for her."
Round 2: Red Roses 13-7 France
It was a tight affair in Whangarei as Emily Scarratt scored all 13 of England’s points to secure victory over familiar rivals France and book a spot in the quarter-finals.
England scored on the 24-minute mark after 14 phases of play. Leanne Infante provided quick ball to Zoe Harrison before the fly half hit Scarratt on an aggressive line to power over, for their only try of the evening.
"Encounters with France in our last few matches have come down to tight margins and tonight was no different," said Middleton after the match. "Two very good sides going head to toe, it was attritional out there, and great for France to put a performance out there and make us play. That's what happens when you have two teams that want to win."
Round 3: Red Roses 75-0 South Africa
The Red Roses wrapped up the pool stages with an emphatic win over South Africa. Connie Powell and Rosie Galligan both scored hat-tricks in a 13-try game which England dominated from start to finish.
Marlie Packer was named captain for the first time in her international career and took charge of a new-look Red Roses side which saw wholesale changes made from their previous fixtures.
Packer said: “It means everything to me. There's no greater privilege than to play for the Red Roses and to put on that shirt but also to be named captain at a World Cup is a massive honour and it's amazing. I've been around the setup for a very long time and I feel like I lead from the front in the way I play.
Quarter Final - Red Roses 41-5 Australia
Sarah Hunter broke the record as the most-capped England player of all time as she ran out for her 138th England appearance against Australia in a waterlogged Waitakere Stadium. Middleton’s Red Roses won 41-5 in the tricky conditions, scoring all seven tries through the forwards.
Hunter scored a try to mark the occasion, while tries from Abbie Ward, Amy Cokayne, Alex Matthews and a Marlie Packer hat-trick helped secure victory. England were now through to their ninth-consecutive World Cup final.
Simon Middleton: "I don't think we could've imagined how difficult those conditions were, particularly in the first half. I thought we managed the game brilliantly; we knew what we wanted to do and what it would take to win. We took our opportunities and we managed the ball well and I'm so proud of the side."
Semi Final - Red Roses 26-19 Canada
Middleton’s charges earned a position in the World Cup final for the eighth time with a tight 26-19 victory over Canada at Eden Park.
Tries from Marlie Packer and Abby Dow, as well as 11 points from the boot of Emily Scarratt secured the victory as England extended their record to 30 consecutive wins.
The moment of the match came on 50 minutes, when, camped on their five metre line with Canadian phases into double digits, England showed monumental defensive spirit to force a turnover before Claudia MacDonald and Abby Dow combined for a length of the field score.
