As the Women’s World Cup ups sticks from Dublin and heads to Belfast for the knockout stages it is tempting to view this as an end to the phoney war, that the battle is only just about to commence. Equally it is hard to escape the feeling that England, the defending champions and world No1, have been on a collision course with New Zealand – winners of four of the last five tournaments – since day one.
Both blitzed their pool-stage opposition, cruising past the USA and Canada respectively on Thursday in what were supposed to be their hardest assignments, and both, you sense, have a fair bit in reserve. New Zealand have amassed 213 points, scoring 35 tries – Portia Woodman has contributed nine of them – while England have crossed the whitewash 17 times. But France have been equally as impressive in the third pool.
The USA, in the final quarter against England, demonstrated their finishing power but it is unlikely New Zealand will have many problems against them in Tuesday’s first semi-final at Kingspan Stadium. France, however, have been a thorn in the side of the Red Roses in recent years, winning two of the last four Six Nations titles, and have shown imperious form in Dublin. Ireland were not at their best by any stretch throughout the pool stages but it was no mean feat by France to send the host nation crashing out.
This is the seventh time France have reached the semi-finals in eight Women’s World Cups but they have never made it to the final, finishing third on five occasions. They were expected to get there three years ago as the hosts but were stunned by Canada in a match that attracted more than 2.5 million viewers in France alone. Their 21-5 victory over Ireland was watched by 2.3 million on France 2, peaking at more than 3 million, and the total number of viewers will be higher considering it was also broadcast on Eurosport. In terms of audience nowhere is women’s rugby more popular than in France and at the last count about 17,000 women play rugby there.
France’s sevens players are semi-professional, the XVs amateur, so while that means challenges in fitting training around work schedules, the French federation has at least reached an agreement that means it compensates its players’ employers for time off. They will face the only professional team in the tournament on Tuesday but the gap in terms of preparation for the World Cup is not yawning.
That said, England’s professional approach is their greatest advantage. That and their forward pack which can expect a stern test against Les Bleues. Four of their seven tries against the USA came from the driving maul; in their victory over New Zealand in June it contributed three of five scores.
Before the tournament England’s head coach, Simon Middleton, said: “After the last World Cup it was an area that I looked at and thought we could make significant gains. It’s such an influential part of the game, it’s a fantastic attacking weapon and it can allow you to regain control of the game.
“It’s a work of art, it’s so complex and a lot goes into it. It’s there to be seen but it’s also there to be stopped.”
England have firepower out wide too – Middleton hailed his three wings, Amy Wilson-Hardy, Kay Wilson and Lydia Thompson, as world class after their opening win against Spain – but France have some prolific finishers themselves in Shannon Izar and Caroline Ladagnous. Up front, much relies on the No8 Safi N’Diaye and how she can combat England’s back row, which includes the captain and world player of the year, Sarah Hunter, and Marlie Packer, perhaps the team’s leading performer in the tournament.
France do not always travel well so their clinical victory over Ireland is proof they are in form and they will be on a different level to anything England have encountered so far.
As the world’s top two in the rankings, and having shared the trophy between them since 1994, New Zealand and England are understandably favourites to reach Saturday’s final. With Les Bleues around, though, not everything is as black and white as it seems.
