The Contenders To Derail England's Home World Cup

World number one, 7 Six Nations titles successful a statement and a 25-Test winning streak successful each competitions.

Heading into a location Women's Rugby World Cup, no-one tin conflict England merit their title arsenic tourney favourites.

A thrilling 43-42 victory complete France astatine Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, whitethorn person secured a 4th consecutive Grand Slam connected Saturday, but it besides brought much-needed dream to each nan chasing nations that nan Red Roses are not invincible.

Les Bleues, who are classed 4th successful nan world, bagged six tries and outscored John Mitchell's broadside 21-12 successful a second-half capacity that exposed protect frailties.

"England do person chinks and if you want to beryllium nan squad that tin hit them past location are ways to do that," erstwhile England fly-half Katy Daley-McLean told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.

The Pacific Four Series gets nether measurement connected Saturday - a tourney involving reigning world champions New Zealand, Canada, Australia and nan United States - truthful who retired of that bunch will beryllium redoubling their efforts to situation England?

In 2022, Australia and New Zealand joined nan United States and Canada to shape a four-team title that would service arsenic a qualifier for nan newly-formed WXV.

The tournament, which ran without Australia and nan Black Ferns successful 2021 because of nan coronavirus pandemic, was first won by Canada, earlier New Zealand picked up nan trophy successful their debut season.

However, Canada produced an awesome 22-19 triumph complete nan world champions successful Christchurch to triumph their 2nd title past twelvemonth and connection up a timely connection earlier WXV1.

Before playing England successful a location WXV1 title decider successful October, fastener Tyson Beukeboom said Canada's extremity was to "win nan World Cup adjacent year".

Errors proved costly arsenic Canada, who are classed 2nd successful nan world contempt being an amateur outfit, missed retired connected nan opportunity to conclusion nan World Cup hosts, losing 21-12, but their capacity added a superior contender to nan mix.

In March, Rugby Canada announced they were 30% of nan measurement done a fundraising run to "win nan Rugby World Cup 2025" successful England, pinch nan extremity to raise $1m (£775,000).

If Canada and New Zealand triumph their World Cup pools and quarter-finals, they will look disconnected successful Bristol successful nan last four.

Victory for Canada would past perchance group up a re-run of nan 2014 World Cup last pinch England, which England won 21-9.

Given Canada aliases nan Black Ferns will apt make nan final, Mitchell whitethorn fancy a travel to his autochthonal New Zealand to watch connected erstwhile they play connected 17 May successful Christchurch.

Things haven't gone to scheme for Black Ferns caput coach Allan Bunting since he was promoted from his adjunct domiciled aft nan team's World Cup triumph connected location ungraded successful 2022.

Trying retired caller combinations and losing respective players to wounded contributed to defeats by Canada, France and England past year.

But this follows a akin pattern. A twelvemonth retired from nan World Cup successful 2022, nan Black Ferns suffered dense back-to-back defeats by England to raise doubts astir their expertise to clasp their title.

Then 7 months earlier nan tournament, nan Black Ferns appointed erstwhile New Zealand men's caput coach Wayne Smith to lead nan women's team, and his acquisition and guile helped steer nan broadside to a sixth world title.

The large news this clip information is nan return of nan World Cup's grounds try-scorer, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, who this period announced she would travel retired of world status to effort and triumph a 3rd consecutive World Cup.

Meanwhile, New Zealand helping Ruby Tui precocious hinted "something new", external is being planned by onslaught coach Tony Christie that will toggle shape their chances of securing a seventh title successful England.

Woodman-Wickliffe, 33, played astir of her profession connected nan wing, but featured astatine extracurricular centre successful nan Grand Final of Super Rugby Aupiki, helping Blues Women unafraid nan title.

Seven Black Ferns sevens players person besides made themselves disposable for World Cup selection, including uncapped back-to-back Olympic golden medallist Risi Pouri-Lane and double World Cup-winners Theresa Setefano and Stacey Waaka.

Whether nan caller attacking strategy includes Woodman-Wickliffe and is utilized successful Pacific Four Series remains to beryllium seen - what is for judge is that you tin ne'er norm retired New Zealand.

Australia, classed sixth successful nan world, were hammered 41-5 by England successful nan quarter-finals of nan World Cup successful 2022 and stay a bully measurement behind.

To person immoderate chance of closing nan spread they will request to telephone upon their sevens stars, which is proving difficult.

The Wallaroos hoped to unafraid nan services of world sevens subordinate of nan twelvemonth Maddison Levi, but nan 23-year-old's supplier Mat Rogers believes nan prima is being "set up to fail".

Levi collapsed nan grounds for tries successful a azygous Olympics (14) astatine nan Paris Games successful 2024, earlier signing for Queensland Reds to beryllium portion of nan 2025 Super Rugby season.

Injuries and sevens commitments prevented nan prima making her XVs debut, pinch caput coach Jo Yapp saying it now "wouldn't beryllium fair", external to propulsion her consecutive into a Test environment.

Ilona Maher, who has complete 8 cardinal followers connected societal media, was besides progressive successful Paris and won a bronze badge pinch nan United States.

The 28-year-old has since spent 3 months astatine Bristol Bears and is hoping to make her first quality for USA XVs since 2021 aft being named successful their subordinate excavation for 2025.

Helped by 'Maher mania', nan world's number 9 broadside person sold much than 7,500 tickets, external for their Pacific Four Series opener pinch Canada connected 3 May successful Kansas City.

Whether Maher is progressive aliases not, she is already having a important effect connected American rugby arsenic nan squad builds towards nan World Cup opening crippled against England astatine Sunderland's Stadium of Light connected 22 August.