Match report and reaction
Updated
So the world’s top two teams will meet in Saturday’s final. England had a tough night here and will be feeling this for a day or two, but the next match will surely be tougher still. This was engrossing and exciting, and on a knife-edge until the last few minutes. It was, in short, excellent sport. And with that, I’m off. Gerard Meagher’s match report will be live shortly, but in the meantime here’s the Press Association’s take. Bye!
Holders England booked a Women’s Rugby World Cup final appointment with New Zealand after beating France 20-3 in Belfast. Prop Sarah Bern and substitute back Megan Jones scored second-half tries during an absorbing defence-dominated contest at Kingspan Stadium.
Centre Emily Scarratt, who was the star of the show when England defeated Canada to be crowned world champions in Paris three years ago, kicked two penalties and two conversions, setting up a mouthwatering showdown against the Black Ferns in four days’ time.
New Zealand, recently installed as the world-ranked number one team, secured their place in the final by brushing aside the United States 45-12, yet England toppled them when the countries last met two months ago.
France dominated large periods of the semi-final’s opening 40 minutes, yet they floundered on a magnificent England defence that time and time again denied their opponents.
England showed only occasional glimpses of their attacking capability - and they will have to go up a gear in that department against four-time World Cup winners New Zealand - but it was a case of mission accomplished for the Red Roses.
England made two changes from the side that secured a third-successive pool victory by seeing off the United States, with fit-again wing Lydia Thompson returning to action and centre Rachel Burford partnering Scarratt in midfield.
But France, having ended host nation Ireland’s semi-final hopes last Thursday, blasted out of the blocks and put England’s defence under immediate pressure.
The collective English rearguard was such that they completed 51 tackles during the first 12 minutes, with flanker Marlie Packer in destructive defensive form as they battled to contain a French side possessing powerful runners in lock Lenaig Corson and number eight Safi N’Diaye.
England, though, took a 17th-minute lead when Scarratt, whose goalkicking had been under the microscope in the tournament, landed a short-range penalty, leaving the French to engage in a collective bout of head-scratching that they had fallen behind.
England then lost full-back Danielle Waterman for a head injury assessment - Jones replaced her - and the French drew level just before half-time through a penalty from their London-born wing Shannon Izar.
Packer, meanwhile, continued in dominant defensive mode, making 14 tackles during the opening period, and the teams trooped off all square at 3-3.
Waterman did not appear for the second period, but England were quickly on the attack and they created a try-scoring chance when Scarratt broke clear, but possession agonisingly eluded wing Kay Wilson and France survived.
England, though, kept their opponents pinned back, and it took some superb French defence to deny them after 20 phases of forward-dominated attacking, before a penalty was awarded for offside and Scarratt landed her second-successful kick.
Scarratt then missed a chance to complete her penalty hat-trick, yet England only had to wait another two minutes to finally break down French resistance, and it was Bristol forward Bern who crashed over from close range for a try that Scarrett converted, opening up a 10-point lead.
Jones then completed a brilliant try-saving tackle on France flanker Julie Annery, which underlined England’s spirit and resilience, and underpinned their place in the final, which Jones sealed by touching down during injury time.
Sarah Hunter talks:
I think from one to 23, our defence won that game. There was never any doubt that France would get across. They were fantastic and have given us the greatest test. I think both sides were going for it. We pride ourselves on our defence, and Megan certainly made a fantastic tackle but all through the night people were putting their bodies on the line.
Updated
More than England’s first try, Meg Jones’ 68th-minute tackle, which denied Julie Annery a try, was the pivotal moment in a gripping semi-final. England survived the first half but excelled in the second, though that moment could so easily have turned the tide in favour of France.
Converted! And it's all over! England 20-3 France!
80+2 mins: That’s it! England are in the World Cup final!
Try for England! England 18-3 France!
80+1 mins: That’s a bit of a mess. On her own line Mayans messes up a pass, the ball bobbles free, and Meg Jones gets to it first!
80 mins: Nearly another try for England! Kay Wilson intercepts a pass and if she could only have held on to the ball a try was inevitable! As you may have guessed, though, she didn’t.
80 mins: England win the ball straight back, but they can’t keep it. A last chance for France …
79 mins: Sarah Hunter knocks on, and France have the scrum. They have most of the pitch to get down, and a minute to do it.
78 mins: Sarah Bern, scorer of today’s only try, is named player of the match, and seems absolutely delighted about it.
77 mins: England attack, but can’t keep the ball. Caroline Ladagnous leads France’s counter, but they too can’t keep the ball. England are back within 20m of what would be a victory-assuring try.
75 mins: Caroline Thomas, another replacement, gets in England’s way with the ball on the ground, and the English have a penalty.
74 mins: What a run! And what a tackle! Jade Le Pesq, a french replacement, stretches her legs, but Rochelle Clark eventually arrives to pummel her into touch.
72 mins: Safi N’Diaye fumbles, and England have a scrum. Harriet Millar-Mills replaces Alex Matthews before it happens.
70 mins: England take off their entire front row, bringing on Vicky Fleetwood, Rochelle Clark and Justine Lucas.
68 mins: Mclean boots the ball downfield, and Elodie Guiglion lets it sail through her arms on the touchline. France have a line-out, which goes over everyone and is caught by England’s Amy Cokayne!
Disallowed try! England 13-3 France!
68 mins: Julie Annery gets the ball, wide on the right, and dives to ground it just over the line! But Meg Jones had pushed her legs into touch before she did so, and it’s an England line-out!
Updated
67 mins: For the first time in the half, England are reeling. Can France finish this?
66 mins: Lenaig Corson, wide on the left and in too much space, screams downfield! She’s stopped in the end, but France are putting England under pressure now!
64 mins: Now France send a line-out into English palms, but they can’t hold on to it! France collect the ball, but swiftly give it back again, thanks to Caroline Drouin’s odd, bobbly pass.
63 mins: For the first time, an England line-out is won by France.
Conversion! England 13-3 France
Clear white water separates the teams. England have been excellent this half, and can now glimpse potential victory. Eighteen very tough minutes await.
Try for England! England 11-3 France!
The ball is passed to Sarah Bern, the tight-head prop, and with team-mates either side literally pushing her on she rumbles over the line from three metres out!
Updated
60 mins: Alex Matthews dodges right and tries to break through the French defence! She can’t, but England are back within a hair’s breath of the tryline.
58 mins: England have another penalty, for N’Diaye’s failure to roll away from the maul, but it’s missed by Emily Scarratt!
57 mins: England have totally turned things around in the first 17 minutes of this half. Where in the first half they were desperately holding back a French tide, now it is the French doing the desperate holding. The defending on both sides, though, has been phenomenal.
56 mins: England push forward again, but as they start to strain the French defence Marlie Packer fumbles. France scrum.
55 mins: Caroline Drouhin attempts a ludicrously forward pass; play is waved on, England boot the ball downfield and Shannon Izar collects and then kicks straight into touch, 22 metres out.
Penalty! England 6-3 France
52 mins: The wait for a try continues, but England lead once more!
51 mins: England penalty! France defend superbly as England try to heave it over the line, and then they go for the wing and the ball is fumbled! The play is brought back, though, for a previous infringement.
50 mins: England are two metres out. Can they get it over the line?
49 mins: England win the ball back in short order, and keep pushing. Could they?
48 mins: England nearly score a try! But don’t! Scarratt catches a kick, runs forward and passes outside to Wilson, but she’s pushed towards touch, tries to find Scarratt again inside her and fails. France have a scrum, five metres out.
46 mins: England run through the full repertoire of minor handling errors – Meg Jones passes forward, gets away with it, and then knocks on, moments before someone else drops the ball completely. France have a scrum.
44 mins: France have a scrum, which takes forever to get ready, and then immediately collapses. France get a penalty, well inside their own half.
42 mins: There’s no sign of Danielle Waterman, and having failed a head injury assessment she is, I would imagine, also out of England’s final game, whether it’s the final or the third-place play-off.
41 mins: France get the second half under way. Can they make all this possession count?
They’re back! And it has stopped raining!
This is the first game of the tournament not to feature a first-half try.
Half time: England 3-3 France
Not a lot of tries, no end of action in a breathless opening period! France have looked the more likely try-scorers, but the game remains on the knifest of edges.
40 mins: Danielle Waterman has been off the pitch for a while, having a head injury assessed. Megan Jones is on in her stead, for now.
39 mins: England kick into the hands of Montserrat Amadee, who palms off a succession of limp challenges before she’s finally brought down by Tamara Taylor.
Updated
England 3-3 France
38 mins: Does it have the legs? It does! Straight down the middle, and France are level.
37 mins: This time, for the first time, they’re going to go for the posts. Shannon Izar lines it up …
36 mins: Marlie Packer is penalised for a high tackle. The referee allows France to play on, but they fumble almost immediately. Penalty.
35 mins: Again France survive, this time the referee deciding that England had again held onto the ball. Penalty.
34 mins: They can’t make the pressure count, though. At least, not yet – France have a line-out 10m out, and they toss the ball straight back to England!
33 mins: For the first time this evening, France’s tryline is in significant peril. England have the ball, less than 10 metres away.
32 mins: Chance for England! Scarratt intercepts the ball, breaks through a gap in the French line, deep inside her own half, and runs 50 metres downfield before anyone does anything about it!
Updated
29 mins: After winning a scrum England have the ball, but struggle to get it clear and eventually give it a good kick.
28 mins: France get an overload on the right, fail to take advantage, and then move over to the left. Lenaig Corson runs 15 yards, but then when the tackles hit she drops the ball, and England win it back.
25 mins: Abbie Scott is penalised for collapsing a maul, giving France a penalty, which they kick towards Natasha Hunt, who drops the catch off the pitch. France have a put-in, five yards out – and England win it!
25 mins: It’s raining quite heavily, which is probably contributing to the occasional handling error.
23 mins: France recycle the ball well, moving it out to the right touchline and then back towards the left, but then Drouin attempts to chip over her opponents, miscues it and the ball loops meekly straight to a white shirt.
21 mins: Another France line-out ends in English hands, with Amy Cokayne claiming it and launching herself upfield.
21 mins: France have the put-in at another scrum, but this time they’re pushed backwards. It’s a Pyrrhic victory, though, as within moments France have a penalty, inside their own half.
19 mins: France rampage briefly down the right, but when the ball comes to Elodie Guiglion she fumbles it forward and off the pitch.
England 3-0 France!
18 mins: Emily Scarratt’s kick sails between the posts, and having been under le cosh for the first 10 minutes, England are in the lead.
Updated
16 mins: Now England get a penalty, midway into France’s half, for offside against Julie Duval! And they have a chance now to become the first team to get points on the board.
14 mins: England have a few moments of parity, and take the ball over the halfway line, but then Rachael Burford fails to recycle the ball quickly enough, and France get a penalty.
10 mins: No! Danielle Waterman gets her boot to the ball as it’s on the ground, and England get a chance to break! They don’t really take it, getting 20m or so before they knock on. France have the scrum.
10 mins: Now five metres out. Surely a try is coming …
9 mins: The one-way traffic continues, and France have now crossed England’s 22-yard line.
8 mins: England are struggling to deal with France’s power, with N’Diaye always catching the eye, though that’s partly because of her colourful head guard. England, for now, are clinging on.
6 mins: France kick into touch, but the line-out sails into English hands. England, however, kick it back again.
4 mins: The scrum moves about 10m in France’s favour before Safi N’Diaye emerges from it with the ball and starts running. Moments later England concede a penalty, on halfway.
2 mins: Marlie Packer finds herself in the middle of a lengthy ruck, for most of which she is lifted entirely off her feet. It ends with a France scrum.
1 min: They’re off! Katy Mclean gets us started!
They’re ready to go. Deep breath …
Out come the players! Harriet Millar-Mills and Marlie Packer, who both win their 50th caps tonight (the former as a replacement) lead out the England squad together.
This is the culmination of a big day of World Cup action, in which:
- Italy thumped Japan 22-0, while Spain beat Hong Kong 31-7
(so it’s Italy v Spain in Sunday’s ninth-place play-off, while Japan play Hong Kong for 11th) - Australia beat Ireland 36-24, and Canada routed Wales 52-0
(so Australia and Canada play off for fifth, while Ireland and Wales go for seventh) - New Zealand beat the USA 45-12
(so reach the final, and the USA play the losers of tonight’s game for third)
The teams:
England: Waterman (Bristol); Thompson (Worcester Valkyries), Scarratt (Lichfield), Burford (Harlequins), Wilson (Richmond); Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Hunt (Lichfield); Cornborough (Harlequins), Cokayne (Lichfield), Bern (Bristol), Scott (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Matthews (Richmond), Packer (Bristol), Hunter (Bristol, captain). Replacements: Fleetwood (Saracens), Clark (Worcester Valkyries), Lucas (Lichfield), Millar-Mills (Lichfield), Noel-Smith (Bristol), Mason (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Reed (Bristol), Jones (Bristol)
France: Amedee; Guiglion, Ladagnous, Poublan, Izar; Drouin, Rivoalen; Deshayes, Mignot (capt), Duval, Corson, Forlani, Mayans, Annery, N’Diaye. Replacements: Thomas, Arricastre, Carricaburu, André, Diallo, Le Pesq, Neisen, Pelle.
New Zealand won their semi-final by a comfortable 45-12 margin, incidentally.
So England have thrashed Spain 56-5, tonked Italy 56-13 and thumped the USA 47-26, sailing through the competition with an aggregate score of 159-44. France, though, have walloped Japan 72-14, bashed Australia 48-0 and bopped Ireland 21-5, for an aggregate score of 141-19. The stage is set for a titanic battle, with a place in Saturday’s final – where New Zealand await - the glittering prize. England went into the tournament as No1 seeds, but France were No3, both of them ahead of New Zealand (Canada, 2014 runners-up but distant second to the Kiwis in Pool A, were the disappointing No2 seeds, and New Zealand are now the world No1 team) so this is, any way you look at it, big. So, let’s be excited together, shall we?
Updated
Simon will be here soon enough. Until then, read Gerard Meagher’s preview here:
Updated
