Red Roses side to play Canada in RWC semi-final
Simon Middleton has named a match day 23 to face Canada in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final.
England’s most capped player Sarah Hunter leads the side from number eight with centre Emily Scarratt named vice-captain. Claudia MacDonald returns on the left wing after missing the last two games due to injury. Abby Dow starts on the right wing.
- Red Roses vs Canada, 5 November
- From Eden Park - KO: 3:30am UK time
- Get the latest Red Roses updates here
Hannah Botterman comes into the starting side at loose-head prop with Amy Cokayne (hooker) and Sarah Bern (tight-head) making up the front row.
Fresh from her player-of-the-match performance in England’s quarter-final win over Australia, Marlie Packer is at open-side flanker with Alex Matthews at blind-side. Zoe Aldcroft and Abbie Ward continue as lock pairing.
Zoe Harrison and Tatyana Heard are again the 10-12 axis with Leanne Infante at scrum half. Helena Rowland retains her place at full back. The finishers are Lark Davies, Vickii Cornborough, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Poppy Cleall, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison and Ellie Kildunne.
"We are very much looking forward to returning to Eden Park for this weekend’s semi-final," said Middleton.
"I was really pleased with our performance against Australia in what were tough conditions. The players produced a professional performance and deserve great credit. Continuity is an important factor in team selection and we have achieved that through training, the pool stages and the quarter-final.
"Canada are an opponent we know well with great pedigree and history in the women’s game. We know they are a strong side. We respect all they might bring but are focused on our own performance. Our objective was to leave this country as a better squad than we arrived and to do that we need to move our game on again this week.
"If we do that and produce the level of performance we are capable of then we are confident we will get the right result."
SQUAD
15. Helena Rowland
14. Abby Dow
13. Emily Scarratt (VC)
12. Tatyana Heard
11. Claudia MacDonald
10. Zoe Harrison
9. Leanne Infante
1. Hannah Botterman
2. Amy Cokayne
3. Sarah Bern
4. Zoe Aldcroft
5. Abbie Ward
6. Alex Matthews
7. Marlie Packer
8. Sarah Hunter (C)
Finishers
16. Lark Davies
17. Vickii Cornborough
18. Maud Muir
19. Rosie Galligan
20. Poppy Cleall
21. Lucy Packer
22. Holly Aitchison
23. Ellie Kildunne
