The World Cup's Final Four - And How England Can Beat Them

Two matches and 3 teams abstracted England from Rugby World Cup glory.

The Red Roses will play France successful Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final successful Bristol, aft Canada and New Zealand title nan different last-four lucifer nan erstwhile evening.

After racking up winning margins successful excess of 30 points successful each lucifer truthful acold successful nan tournament, nerves and scorelines alike are expected to get tighter from this constituent connected for England.

So, who are nan different contenders for nan crown?

The six-time champions, arsenic ever, look to beryllium timing their tilt to perfection.

The young talent of teenage superstar Braxton Sorensen-McGee, all-action flanker Jorja Miller and scrum-half Maia Joseph person refreshed a squad that still contains nan know-how of skipper Ruahei Demant and surviving fable Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.

After their preparations for nan past Rugby World Cup connected location ungraded were disrupted by soul issues, coach Allan Bunting appears to person forged an awesome consciousness of corporate purpose.

When it comes to New Zealand and nan women's World Cup, location is simply a emotion of inevitability that bolsters their belief and undermines that of their rivals. England especially. The Red Roses person mislaid each 5 finals they person contested against New Zealand.

However, location are chinks successful their armour.

New Zealand were troubled by South Africa's ultra-physical attack successful nan first half of their quarter-final, pinch nan Springboks making metres pinch 15-player driving mauls and guardant thrusts astir nan fringes.

England person nan guardant grunt to make akin inroads. Early connected could beryllium nan clip to make hay arsenic well.

The triumph complete South Africa was nan 2nd lucifer that New Zealand person started slowly. Japan besides caught nan Black Ferns cold, exposing a constrictive defence to people nan first effort earlier being blown distant 62-19.

Canada are closest to runaway world number ones England successful nan rankings.

They person embellished those spreadsheet credentials pinch their deeds connected nan transportation too. They hit New Zealand for nan first clip successful their history past year, prevailing 22-19 to clinch nan Pacific Four Series.

And they backed up that consequence pinch a 27-27 tie against nan Black Ferns successful Christchurch 4 months ago.

Almost half of their squad person honed their crippled successful England's PWR and each of them are smart, all-court rugby players.

The backmost 3 of Julia Schell, Alysha Corrigan and Asia Hogan-Rochester work, extracurricular a prestigious one-two punch centre operation of Alex Tessier and Florence Symonds.

Second statement Sophie De Goede captains her country, conscionable arsenic some of her parents did. The 26-year-old Saracen, who has only precocious recovered from a superior knee injury, was immense successful nan quarter-final triumph complete Australia, kicking goals, pulling strings and popping up each complete nan pitch.

The dedicated training campy that a C$1m (£530,000) fundraising thrust - titled Mission: Win Rugby World Cup – helped salary for has produced a much cohesive, connected group.

Head coach Kevin Rouet has accused his squad of being "too Canadian" – lacking nan slayer small heart to put matches beyond teams.

Scotland person travel closest to Canada truthful acold successful nan tourney and England coach John Mitchell will person noted really Evie Gallagher and Fran McGhie some scored tries pinch cleverly angled runs, adjacent to nan breakdown.

Before England tin contemplate either New Zealand aliases Canada, they must find a measurement past France.

Based connected nan measurement nan Red Roses swatted speech France connected their ain turf successful a 40-6 triumph successful their last Rugby World Cup warm-up, that should beryllium straightforward.

But France person a wont of raising their crippled for nan large shape and a tummy for nan fight.

They ran England to wrong a constituent successful nan last information of nan Six Nations earlier this year, pinch a second-half comeback ending successful a too-close-for-comfort 43-42 triumph for nan Red Roses.

Against Ireland successful nan quarter-finals, they succeeded wherever they grounded astatine Allianz Stadium. France gave up 13 unanswered points to Ireland successful nan first half, but rallied successful nan 2nd half to declare an 18-13 win.

Pauline Bourdon-Sansus is possibly nan finest scrum-half successful nan women's crippled and drove her squad connected pinch tempo from nan base. Meanwhile, wings Kelly Arbey and Joanna Grisez person some scored superb tries against England successful nan past.

Whether France tin clasp their ain up beforehand is different thing. Five of England's six tries came from nan forwards successful nan team's astir caller gathering and France request a immense betterment to moreover person parity successful nan pack.