International Rugby

[paul_e]

So England Vs Canada in the final after France gave us a real test.

Jones was exceptional in the centres and probably deserved to be potm but Kildunne is such an wonderful ball carrier that it's hard to look elsewhere when she scores a try like that 2nd.

[UK Redsox]

I missed both semis due to being at a music festival.

However I’ve read some pundits advocating dropping Breach, Heard and Mo.

Jess Breach must have really gone off the boil, because she had a great start to the tournament.

With Meg Jones playing so well, England could go a bit more expansive by replacing Heard.

Leaving Mo out would be a big call, but given she’s 35 it might be better to start Packer and hold back Mo’s experience for the final 30

[dcdavecollett]

Two terrific semi-finals.

France must feel like they missed their chance in the first-half with all the half-breaks they had when they were on top.

[paul_e]

I missed both semis due to being at a music festival.

However I’ve read some pundits advocating dropping Breach, Heard and Mo.

Jess Breach must have really gone off the boil, because she had a great start to the tournament.

With Meg Jones playing so well, England could go a bit more expansive by replacing Heard.

Leaving Mo out would be a big call, but given she’s 35 it might be better to start Packer and hold back Mo’s experience for the final 30

She struggled with the pace of the game and how aggressive France were at the breakdown, in the first half, I think it'd be the right call. After that I'm not sure on the other 2, Breach just never really got into the game and Heard was a victim of the messy play inside her as much as playing poorly herself.

Two terrific semi-finals.

France must feel like they missed their chance in the first-half with all the half-breaks they had when they were on top.

True, but to counter that England really should've had 2-3 more tries ourselves, we made a lot of mistakes in the 22.

[dcdavecollett]

Yes, I don't think I've seen so many knock-ons in a top women's game.

[Pat McMahon]

I watched most of the England v France semi and enjoyed it, though France definitely botched some great chances in the first half.

The highlight for me was the former All Black summariser on the panel. Can’t remember her name but she was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm. I loved  her passion.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I know close to naff all about women's rugby but watched the semi and will watch the final. What is the likelihood of an upset? I know Canada shouldn't have beaten New Zealand but were NZ uncharacteristically shite or did Canada just really up their game?

[paul_e]

It wasn't an upset, Canada and NZ are very close in the standings.

They won by having the better set of forwards and dominating the breakdown.

They'll find that harder against England because we have 3-4 players who are just as good in those areas but then we have Breach, Dow and Kildunne outside. That's why we went in as favourites and have got to the final despite not really hitting our top form.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I said I knew naff all! Cheers Paul.

[paul_e]

Comfortable win for England in the end. It could've gone badly after their early try but Kildunne getting us on the score sheet straight after flipped the game back to us and they were never really in it again.

[nigel]

Didn’t realise England have competed in every final bar one (NZ vrs USA)
That’s some going by any standard

[UK Redsox]

Comfortable win for England in the end. It could've gone badly after their early try but Kildunne getting us on the score sheet straight after flipped the game back to us and they were never really in it again.

Kildunne has the ability to make tacklers look like they’ve never played rugby before.

[paul_e]

Comfortable win for England in the end. It could've gone badly after their early try but Kildunne getting us on the score sheet straight after flipped the game back to us and they were never really in it again.

Kildunne has the ability to make tacklers look like they’ve never played rugby before.

Yep it looks easy but her ability to not only evade tackles but to stop players even getting a chance is incredible, she carries like Robinson in his prime, quick and constantly shifting line to make herself unpredictable.

However it's easy to let that overshadow how good she is defensively and at the breakdown, which is where she's very different to the normal fullback.

Given her age she could easily make 2 more world cups (probably as a centre for 2033 though) and I firmly believe she will be widely considered the best woman to ever play the sport by the time she hangs up the boots.