England Gears Up for New Zealand Showdown with Focus on Fine-Tuning Their Game

England's defence coach, Sarah Hunter, has highlighted key areas for improvement ahead of the highly anticipated WXV1 clash against reigning world champions New Zealand on Saturday, 14 September, at London's Allianz Stadium. Despite a recent unbeaten streak and their position as the world’s top-ranked team, the Red Roses are committed to refining their game as they prepare to face their formidable southern hemisphere rivals.

The Red Roses, who last tasted defeat in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand, have not lost a match since that fateful day. They recently kicked off their 2024 campaign with a friendly win over France, but Hunter insists there is still work to be done. "We won against France, but it certainly wasn't a polished performance, and we have identified key areas we want to finesse," Hunter said.

One of the major areas flagged for improvement is the scrum. Although England made in-game adjustments during the France encounter, Hunter believes there is still room for growth. "The scrum has been picked up as an area where we can improve," she noted. "It was great to see the girls' in-game problem-solving, but we know we can take it further." Additionally, lapses in concentration around the maul were another point of concern, though Hunter assures that these issues are "easy to fix."

With New Zealand's attacking flair in mind, Hunter emphasized the need for England to raise their defensive intensity. "France like to run the ball, much like New Zealand, who will want to play their instinctive attacking rugby. We need to take our defence to the next level to match that."

Despite being the favourites to retain their WXV1 title after winning the inaugural competition last November, Hunter is adamant that England cannot afford to rest on their laurels. She pointed out that the team, now coached by John Mitchell, continues to evolve, even while maintaining an unbeaten run under his leadership.

Hunter, who was part of the England side that won the 2014 World Cup, spoke about the importance of learning from adversity as well as success. "Before 2014, we lost plenty of games, which helped shape us," she reflected. "Equally, when you have a winning environment like we do now, there are still moments in a game when things are against us. We are hard on ourselves, and it’s about improving those moments even when we’re winning."

England’s winning mentality and dedication to constant improvement will be put to the test in front of a home crowd, with a match that promises to be a thrilling encounter against the Black Ferns. As the Red Roses continue their journey towards hosting the 2025 World Cup, this showdown with New Zealand could offer a valuable benchmark of how far they've come—and how much further they can go.