England trust the process with conservative team selection for Women’s World Cup final

England have opted for continuity and familiarity with an unchanged team selection for their biggest game in three years – this weekend’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada.

Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, will be sold out for the showpiece, breaking the record for the biggest crowd in history for a one-off women's rugby match as 82,000 fans cram into the ground, surpassing the 58,498 that watched England beat France in the 2023 Six Nations.

And head coach John Mitchell has opted to trust the 23 Red Roses that battled past France in the semi-final for the occasion, resisting any temptation to tinker with a line-up that struggled somewhat in the first half before pulling away after the break to win 35-17.

The expectation is that England – who have won 32 straight matches since defeat to New Zealand in the World Cup final in 2022 – will right the wrong of the previous final and lift the trophy on home soil. However, the brilliant performances of world No 2 side Canada at this tournament, not least in their remarkable 34-19 triumph over the Black Ferns in the semi-final, have set this up to be a mouth-watering contest.

There was a suggestion that Lucy Packer could start at scrum half over Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, with the England backline seeming to click into gear when Packer and her lightning-quick distribution came off the bench against Les Bleues, but Mitchell has stuck with the game management of the 36-year-old Hunt.

Similarly, Mitchell may have been tempted to start livewire Holly Aitchison either at fly half or at No 12 to create a dual playmaking threat with Zoe Harrison but Harrison’s impeccable kicking retains the No 10 shirt, while Tatyana Heard continues her effective centre partnership with the irrepressible Meg Jones, who has been nominated for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year.

Semi-final match-winner and World Rugby Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne will again look to create some magic after her two spectacular tries against France, while speedsters Abby Dow and Jess Breach flank her in the back three.

Given their supreme display in the semi-final, it is no surprise that the Red Roses pack remains unchanged as the eight starting forwards will look to replicate their physical domination against a set of Canadian forwards who may well have the firepower to match them in a way that Les Bleues were unable to.

Destructive force Hannah Botterman forms an immovable front row alongside Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir, with Morwenna Talling and Abbie Ward continuing their formidable second-row partnership behind.

Captain Zoe Aldcroft and breakout star Sadia Kabeya (the World Cup’s top tackler with 89) flank No 8 Alex Matthews in the back row, with the likes of Kelsey Clifford, Rosie Galligan and Maddie Feaunati ready to make an impact off the bench.

Head coach 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.”

The Red Roses will be aiming to extend their record winning streak to 33 games but the main motivation on Saturday afternoon will be righting the wrongs of their last defeat, three years ago, and finally winning another World Cup final.

England XV: 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir; 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Abbie Ward; 6 Zoe Aldcroft, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Alex Matthews; 9 Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, 10 Zoe Harrison; 11 Jess Breach, 12 Tatyana Heard, 13 Meg Jones, 14 Abby Dow; 15 Ellie Kildunne.

Replacements: 16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Kelsey Clifford, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Rosie Galligan, 20 Maddie Feaunati; 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Helena Rowland