After the fantastic opening game against the USA, winning 69-7, the England team this year are the favourites to win the tournament.
The World Rugby Women’s player of 2024, Ellie Kildunne delivered a beautiful skilled game with breathtaking tries and try assists and for this reason she is not to be missed in the rest of the tournament.
The main rivals of England as it stands are New Zealand, Canada and France, and there will certainly be some tense games played as the tournament progresses. Following their 31-31 draw, USA and Australia will be interesting to follow.
Following their 31-31 draw, USA and Australia will be interesting to follow.
The social media sensation, Ilona Maher from the USA side was a force to reckoned with and put in one of her best performances against Australia.
There is a surplus of young players entering the tournament for the first time and hoping to make an impression. The 18-year-old Braxton Sorensen-McGee made her debut with the Black Ferns in May and is a player to watch out for.
In the New Zealand vs Spain game she made a perfectly timed offload to Jorja Miller who scored her second try of the match. Also, 18-year-old Australian squad member Caitlyn Halse is a player not to be ignored as she constantly supports her teammates and has thus far scored two tries in each of her matches against Samoa and USA, expertly dodging defenders. Teammate Desiree Miller scored a hat-trick against Samoa and dominated the play throughout.
Apart from the big teams, French player Pauline Bourdon Sansus, is widely regarded as one of the world’s best scrum halves, and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe from the New Zealand team returning for her third world cup, having been part of the winning squad in 2017.