This article was originally published on Stuff and is reproduced with permission
AUSTRALIA
It’s a World Cup as near to Australian shores as there’s ever been (until they host in 2029), but despite the closer-to-home proximity this time out, the task is still a very steep one for the women in gold.
Having made just one semi-final in their six World Cup appearances, the fortunes don’t look bright for change just yet for a side which could be best described as spirited but limited, and who have never beaten their trans-Tasman neighbours in 22 clashes.
Ranked No.7 in the world, they gave the Ferns a decent run in Adelaide in their most recent outing, the week after their thrashing in Christchurch, but also go into the tournament after a winless Pacific Four series in New Zealand as well as a stunning 12-10 defeat to Japan on the Gold Coast.
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For context, the Ferns crushed the Japanese 95-12 to round out their preparations.
Like their Kiwi counterparts, the Wallaroos have also had a dramatic coaching change-up, with Dwayne Nestor and assistant Matt Tink resigning last year when audio emerged of them criticising players and referees.
But new coach Jay Tregonning’s only on-field success to date came in a 36-19 defeat of world No.21 Fiji in Brisbane, which was the Aussies’ first Test in almost three years due to COVID-19.
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Coach: Jay Tregonning
Squad:
Forwards: Liz Patu, Emily Robinson, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Madison Schuck, Bridie O’Gorman, Eva Karpani, Ashley Marsters, Adiana Talakai, Tania Naden, Michaela Leonard, Sera Naiqama, Atasi Lafai, Kaitlan Leaney, Shannon Parry (c), Emily Chancellor, Grace Hamilton, Grace Kemp, Piper Duck.
Backs: Iliseva Batibasaga, Layne Morgan, Arabella McKenzie, Trilleen Pomare, Siokapesi Palu, Cecilia Smith, Georgina Friedrichs, Sharni Williams, Mahalia Murphy, Ivania Wong, Bienne Terita, Maya Stewart, Pauline Piliae-Rasabale, Lori Cramer.
RWC history: 1991: DNP, 1994: DNP, 1998: 5th, 2002: 7th, 2006: 7th, 2010: 3rd, 2014: 7th, 2017: 6th.
Last five results (most recent first): Lost to New Zealand 22-14, lost to New Zealand 52-5, lost to Canada 22-10, lost to United States 16-14, lost to New Zealand 23-10
Outlook: While their sevens team this year claimed the triple crown of World Series, Commonwealth Games and World Cup gold, and sevens reps Bienne Terita and Sharni Williams are included in this squad, the 15s team still clearly has big work in front of them.
Predicted finish: Semi-finalists
Patu gives Wallaroos perfect start
NEW ZEALAND
Can the Black Ferns complete the most spectacular of turnarounds?
They go into the tournament as defending champions, and hosts, but will need to muster something special if they are to triumph this time out.
That is thanks to the absolute dominance of England, who are on a 25-Test win streak, including a pair of record victories (43-12 and 56-15) over last year’s hapless Kiwi tourists, who also fell to record defeats to France (38-13 and 29-7) on that same ill-fated tour which drew a damning review into team culture.
From that historic low has come renewed hope, though. Coach Glenn Moore resigned in April and in came one of the sharpest minds in Wayne Smith along with the experience of Sir Graham Henry, and the Ferns were immediately tasked with embracing a new up-tempo style of game.
It brought immediate rewards in their Pacific Four series victory in June, and while New Zealand then hammered Australia to retain the O’Reilly Cup, the return match across the ditch certainly showed the Kiwis still have their vulnerabilities.
The Ferns no doubt boast some of the most exciting strike power going around, but whether they can muscle up up front when it counts will be key.
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Coach: Wayne Smith
Squad:
Forwards: Luka Connor, Natalie Delamere, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale, Phillipa Love, Krystal Murray, Amy Rule, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Santo Taumata, Chelsea Bremner, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alana Bremner, Sarah Hirini, Charmaine McMenamin, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Kendra Reynolds, Kennedy Simon (cc).
Backs: Ariana Bayler, Kendra Cocksedge, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Ruahel Demant (cc), Hazel Tubic, Logo I Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Renee Holmes, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Ruby Tui, Renee Wickliffe, Portia Woodman.
RWC history: 1991: 3rd-equal, 1994: Withdrawn, 1998: Champions, 2002: Champions, 2006: Champions, 2010: Champions, 2014: 5th, 2017: Champions.
Last five results (most recent first): beat Japan 95-12, beat Australia 22-14, beat Australia 52-5, beat United States 50-6, beat Canada 28-0
Outlook: The wave of home support could provide the burst NZ need to get over the line, but also provide a pressure of expectation, and standing in the hosts’ way is a confident England side who will be keen on revenge from five years ago.
Predicted finish: Runners-up
WALES
Never has a seventh/eighth classification game perhaps looked so crucial.
In beating Ireland 27-17 for the minor placings at the last World Cup in 2017, the Welsh ensured direct qualification for this year’s event thanks to their top-seven finish.
That meant avoiding a European qualifying tournament in Italy last year – one which saw Italy and Scotland advance at the expense of, yes, Ireland.
Since then, Wales have mustered just five wins from 22 games in the Six Nations, though they managed to find some form and finish third this year.
That was thanks to starting the tournament with a 27-19 win over Ireland in Dublin and a 24-19 victory over Scotland in Cardiff, before they rounded out with a narrow 10-8 home defeat to Italy courtesy of conceding a last-gasp penalty goal.
However, the world No 9 side go into the World Cup with their eyes wide open after being dealt to 31-3 by Canada in Halifax then torn apart 73-7 by England in Bristol.
While Sioned Harries, Caryl Thomas and Elinor Snowsill are embarking on their fourth World Cups, Wales have 19 playing in their first, and they will need to be on-song from the get-go against Six Nations rivals Scotland or else it could be a long few weeks.
Coach: Ioan Cunningham
Squad:
Forwards: Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Gwen Crabb, Georgia Evans, Kat Evans, Abbie Fleming, Cerys Hale, Sioned Harries, Cara Hope, Natalia John, Kelsey Jones, Bethan Lewis, Gwenllian Pyrs, Donna Rose, Siwan Lillicrap (c), Carys Phillips, Caryl Thomas, Sisilia Tuipulotu.
Backs: Keira Bevan, Lleucu George, Hannah Jones, Jasmine Joyce, Kerin Lake, Lisa Neumann, Ffion Lewis, Lowri Norkett, Kayleigh Powell, Elinor Snowsill, Niamh Terry, Megan Webb, Robyn Wilkins, Carys Williams-Morris.
RWC history: 1991: 9th, 1994: 4th, 1998: 11th, 2002: 10th, 2006: DNP, 2010: 9th, 2014: 8th, 2017: 7th.
Last five results (most recent first): Lost to England 73-7, lost to Canada 31-3, lost to Italy 10-8, lost to France 33-5, lost to England 58-5
Outlook: It will all come down to their first-up fixture against Scotland, in Whangārei. If the Welsh win that, they are a chance of being one of the two third-place teams to progress to the quarterfinals.
Predicted finish: Pool play
SCOTLAND
It’s been 12 years since Scotland last featured at a World Cup, but they are back, having claimed the final spot for this year’s event.
Flanker Rachel Malcolm will captain a squad which has a 50-50 forwards-backs split and features 27-year-old lock Emma Wassell as the most-capped player, with 57 tests.
There are four others in the group with more than a half century of games to their name, and that experience will be crucial in a tough pool where the team’s big fixture comes on the first weekend against Wales.
Having to go through qualifying in Italy last year, the Scots lost 38-13 to the hosts before scoring crucial wins over Spain (27-22) and Ireland (20-18) to advance to a final clash in Dubai in February against Colombia, who they thrashed 59-3.
Scotland then went winless in this year’s Six Nations, though the margins were small, and they will be encouraged by how competitive they were in a 21-17 defeat to the United States – a team ranked four places above them at No 6 in the world rankings – in Edinburgh last month.
Coach: Bryan Easson
Squad:
Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Sarah Bonar, Elliann Clarke, Katie Dougan, Evie Gallagher, Jade Konkel-Roberts, Rachel Malcolm (c), Rachel McLachlan, Louise McMillan, Lyndsay O’Donnell, Lana Skeldon, Jodie Rettie, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright, Anne Young.
Backs: Shona Campbell, Megan Gaffney, Coreen Grant, Sarah Law, Rhona Lloyd, Caity Mattinson, Mairi McDonald, Liz Musgrove, Helen Nelson, Emma Orr, Chloe Rollie, Eilidh Sinclair, Hannah Smith, Meryl Smith, Lisa Thomson, Evie Wills.
RWC history: 1991: DNP, 1994: 5th, 1998: 6th, 2002: 6th, 2006: 6th, 2010: 8th, 2014: DNQ, 2017: DNQ.
Last five results (most recent first): Lost to United States 21-17, lost to Ireland 15-14, lost to Italy 20-13, lost to France 28-8, lost to Wales 24-19
Outlook: Scotland play all three of their pool games in Whangārei, and it is the first of them which looms as the most crucial. If they can knock over the Welsh, who they have had very close battles with in recent years, they give themselves a shot at advancing.
Predicted finish: Quarterfinalists
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