Rugby

England and New Zealand gear up for Twickenham showdown as World Cup looms

The heavyweights go head-to-head at Allianz Stadium this weekend.

World number one team England will face world champions New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium
World number one team England will face world champions New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium (Brett Phibbs/PA)
By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent

England and New Zealand will meet on Saturday in what could prove a dress rehearsal for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final.

More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for the first match to be staged at Twickenham since it was rebranded as part of a £100million deal with insurance giant Allianz.

Both countries will continue preparations ahead of the Canada-hosted WXV1 that starts on September 29 when England tackle the United States in Vancouver.

But September 27 next year is a potential date with destiny at Allianz Stadium for the Red Roses and Black Ferns.

It would prove a major surprise if they do not contest the World Cup final that day in south-west London, and this weekend provides an enticing appetiser.

“There is always an excitement around it, definitely,” England vice-captain Zoe Aldcroft said.

“It’s world champions against world number one, and you always want to get that extra edge.

“We know they have got elusive runners in their backs, and their forwards have big ball-carriers, so it is about stopping them early and shutting them down.”

England have beaten New Zealand in three of the last four meetings, but that one loss was the 2021 World Cup final at Auckland’s Eden Park.

The record on home soil is also impressive – eight wins, one draw and three defeats – and the Red Roses know that victory would underline their status as clear world number one nation.

Their WXV1 build-up began with a 38-19 success against France at Kingsholm, and head coach John Mitchell has made five changes following that first hit-out.

Abbie Ward will start in England’s second-row against New Zealand
Abbie Ward will start in England’s second-row against New Zealand (Mike Egerton/PA)

Centre Emily Scarratt will make her 100th start for England, replacing Helena Rowland, while Mitchell fields a new front-row of Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern, with lock Abbie Ward also starting.

Mitchell said: “We have chosen these two challenges (France and New Zealand) because we want to get experience and we want to get lessons to learn from.

“It is one thing being a winning side, which is good for you, but also when you win often you can sometimes take your eye off the ball in terms of not focusing on problems.

“We want problems, and that is the reason why we wanted to have that exposure in these two pre-season games to put us in good stead for WXV.

“It is obviously a big fixture, and a really good experience for us.”