Bronze Final

New Zealand vs France

Kickoff: 12:30pm Saturday, 27th September

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Watch on: BBC iPlayer

Different teams approach 3rd place matches in very different ways. Some opt to rotate and give young players some exposure to the biggest stage whereas others see the value in coming 3rd and giving experienced players one last game. New Zealand and France have gone with the 2nd of those philosophies. The Black Ferns have made just 2 changes to the team that lost to Canada, and one of those is the return of Jorja Miller who would've started the semi-final anyway if not for an injury. New Zealand and France always produce good games, including the 2022 semi-final which the Black Ferns won 25-24. If this game is anything like that one, this will be the perfect warm-up act to the final. 

New Zealand will probably say goodbye to a few big stars after this game, but the biggest name who could be walking away after this game is Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. She is widely regarded as the greatest female rugby player of all time, and rightly so. Woodman-Wickliffe has already made the decision to retire previously. She then reversed that decision to make a run at playing in this World Cup. She is yet to light up this tournament, and has been outshone by 18-year-old Braxton Sorensen-McGee, but this game could be the perfect way for her to stamp her mark on this tournament. It wouldn't be a Rugby World Cup without a signature moment from Woodman-Wickliffe.

France will be looking to match their usual result of a 3rd-place finish - it would be their 8th in 10 World Cups dating back to 1991 The 2 World Cups that haven't ended in bronze medals have ended in a 7th-place finish and another semi-final defeat and loss in the bronze medal match. France have Joanna Grisez back for this match after she missed the game against England last weekend. She was a big miss for them and will be part of an interesting match-up against Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.

Team news

New Zealand

Starting XV

1.Chryss Viliko 2.Georgia Ponsonby 3.Tanya Kalounivale 4.Maiakawanakaulani Roos 5.Laura Bayfield

6.Liana Mikaele-Tu'u 7.Jorja Miller 8.Kaipo Olsen-Baker 9.Risi Pouri-Lane 10.Ruahei Demant(C) 

11.Portia Woodman-Wickliffe 12.Sylvia Brunt 13.Stacey Waaka 14.Braxton Sorensen-McGee 15.Renee Holmes

Bench

16.Vici-Rose Green 17.Awhina Tangen-Wainohu 18.Amy Rule 19.Alana Bremner 

20.Layla Sae 21.Maia Joseph 22.Theresa Setefano 23.Katelyn Vahaakolo

France

Starting XV
1.Yllana Brosseau 2.Agathe Gerin 3.Rose Bernadou 4.Taina Maka 5.Madoussou Fall Raclot

6.Charlotte Escudero 7.Lea Champon 8.Teani Feleu 9.Pauline Bourdon Sansus 10.Carla Arbez

11.Marine Menager 12.Gaby Vernier 13.Nassira Konde 14.Joanna Grisez 15.Emilie Boulard

Bench

16.Manon Bigot 17.Annaelle Deshaye 18.Assia Khalfaoui 19.Hina Ikahehegi

20.Marie Morland 21.Alexandra Chambon 22.Lina Tuy 23.Kelly Arbey

Canada vs England

Kickoff: 4pm Saturday 27th September

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Watch on: BBC ONE

The final game of this tournament will be played in front of 82,000 fans at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. England will be under significant pressure whilst Canada will look at this as a great opportunity. It is perhaps as much of a free-hit for them as any World Cup can be. They are, however, a serious threat to England and put on the best display of rugby that has been seen all tournament in the semi-final against New Zealand. England played well in the second half against France, but will have to play a better overall game than they did in the semi-final if they are to win this final.

Kevin Rouet hasn't made any changes to the team that beat the Black Ferns, and rightly so after that performance. Canada will know that replicating that performance should be enough to get them over the line, but replicating that level is always a big challenge. Just look at the England men's team in the 2019 World Cup. They played the game of their lives to beat the All Blacks then completely failed to back up that performance in the final against the Springboks. The Keys for Canada to win this game are to take advantage of 2 weaknesses that England have been unable to fix throughout this World Cup - slow starts and dealing with kickoffs. Canada started well against New Zealand and should try to quickly put England on the back foot by scoring some points and then trapping them with difficult kickoffs. Their offloading game is also a weapon that England could struggle to deal with, although the English weather appears to be stepping up to make things a little more challenging for the North Americans. Rain has been forecast for Saturday afternoon in West London which should help England's power game over Canada's attacking game.

As for England, this is the most pressure that any England rugby team has been under. This World Cup has already been a smashing success, but the Red Roses know that lifting this trophy will increase the impact of this tournament dramatically. They'll be looking to simplify some things in attack in order to be more clinical in the opposition red zone, as well as imposing their strengths on Canada. England will want a power-based game that is decided by set-pieces and forward carries. They, like Canada, have made no changes to the team that beat France. Zoe Harrison starts at fly half once again having earned the position over the course of the World Cup with Aitchison and Rowland providing a plethora of tactical and personnel changes to John Mitchell in the second half. England will know that, if they can start well, they can bring Canada into a very different game to the one that they want to play. One key stat in this game will be the penalty count; Canada conceded their first penalty of their semi-final in the 61st minute and remained well-disciplined after that. England will have to change that in order to life the trophy.

There are plenty of  head-to-heads to watch in this one. Abby Dow and Asia Hogan-Rochester will be a key match-up. Hogan-Rochester has scored some spectacular tries already in this tournament with some great hand-offs, but she faces a tough test this weekend. Dow has shone in her limited opportunities but will need to be at her best defensively to shut down the Canadian danger-woman. England will need to make an effort to give Dow a few more opportunities with ball-in-hand if they are to break through Canada. McKinley Hunt versus Maud Muir will be the key battle up front. Scrum dominance is a key part of England's game so, if Hunt can disrupt it, Canada will gain a huge advantage in this game. Meg Jones and Tatiana Heard will be key together in shutting down the Canadian kicking game that destroyed New Zealand last week. If Tessier is given space in midfield, England will be in trouble.

A win for Canada would be the perfect end to an epic journey which has included them fund-raising to make it to this tournament in the first place. Winning the World Cup, having captured the hearts and minds of the rugby public, would be one of the greatest achievements in the history of the sport. For England, winning a home World Cup in front of 82,000 people at the home of rugby would be stratospheric. We all saw the impact of the Lionesses winning the Euros at home. If the Red Roses can replicate that in anyway, it will be special for women's rugby in England - even more so than this World Cup already has been.

Team news

Canada

Starting XV
1.McKinley Hunt 2.Emily Tuttosi 3.DaLeaka Menin 4.Sophie de Goede 5.Courtney O'Donnell

6.Caroline Crossley 7.Karen Paquin 8.Fabiola Forteza 9.Justine Pelletier 10.Taylor Perry

11.Asia Hogan-Rochester 12.Alex Tessier(C) 13.Florence Symonds 14.Alysha Corrigan 15.Julia Schell

Bench

16.Gilian Boag 17.Brittany Kassil 18.Olivia DeMerchant 19.Tyson Beukeboom 

20.Laetitia Royer 21.Gabrielle Senft 22.Olivia Apps 23.Shoshanah Seumanutafa

England

Starting XV
1.Hannah Botterman 2.Amy Cokayne 3.Maud Muir 4.Morwenna Talling 5.Abbie Ward

6.Zoe Aldcroft(C) 7.Sadia Kabeya 8.Alex Mathews 9.Natasha Hunt 10.Zoe Harrison

11.Jess Breach 12.Tatyana Heard 13.Megan Jones 14.Abby Dow 15.Ellie Kildunne

Bench

16.Lark Atkin-Davies 17.Kelsey Clifford 18.Sarah Bern 19.Rosie Galligan

20.Maddie Feaunati 21.Lucy Packer 22.Holly Aitchison 23.Helena Rowland