USA:
The USA are England's first opponents of the competition on Sunday. They are currently 8th ranked in the world but qualified as one of the top 6 nations for WXV this year. Their players are largely semi-professional and are based in only a couple of leagues; others are from the USA sevens squad. The players tend to play their domestic rugby either in England or the USA. There are none of the sevens stars from the Olympics in this squad but a player to watch out for is fly-half/centre Gabby Cantorna who plays her domestic rugby for Exeter and has made 30 international appearances since making her debut in 2018.
New Zealand:
The Black Ferns are the current World Champions having beaten England in a dramatic final at home. They are currently ranked 2nd in the world. New Zealand will be looking to rectify their performance at Twickenham earlier this month when the two sides meet again in Vancouver. They will have their sights set on England but will know that they must be wary of other opponents after their shock defeat to Canada in the Pacific Four Series earlier this year. Experienced campaigner Ruby Tui is a player to keep an eye on in this New Zealand team. She has had a successful sevens career winning a silver medal in RIo and a gold in Tokyo. She also won the 2021 World Cup against England. She brings those sevens skills to the 15s game in abundance scoring 4 tries in the space of 13 minutes in the previous addition of this competition against Wales.
Canada:
Canada are currently ranked 3rd in the world. They pulled off a surprise victory over the Black Ferns earlier this year to win the Pacific Four Series. The players who make up the squad are mostly based in either Canada or England. Unlike most of their opponents, the Canadian squad is made up of amateurs since there is no women's professional league in Canada. A player to watch is Tyson Beukeboom who recently became captain of the team. She has made over 60 appearances for Canada and plays her domestic rugby for the Ealing Trailfinders who are a powerhouse in English women's rugby. She is 6ft tall so is a towering presence on the pitch and will present England with a massive physical challenge.
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