England head coach John Mitchell says his facet will purpose to “hunt weaknesses” that he feels stay in Scotland’s “improved” facet in Sunday’s Ladies’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final conflict.
The previous rivals meet at Bristol’s Ashton Gate when the Crimson Roses will put their record-equalling 30-match profitable streak on the road in opposition to a Scotland facet who’re showing of their first World Cup quarter-final since 2002.
England, who welcome again captain Zoe Aldcroft to the line-up after lacking the ultimate two pool video games via damage however are with out Ellie Kildunne, are unbeaten in opposition to Scotland since 1999 and due to this fact huge favourites to progress.
“They’ve positively improved, which is nice,” mentioned Mitchell of Scotland, who received two of their three pool matches to qualify for the final eight.
“I feel everybody has raised their efficiency.
“Clearly Scotland will elevate their efficiency in opposition to us however there may be nonetheless vulnerability throughout the Scotland crew, there’s nonetheless alternatives to construct stress, so we will likely be looking these weaknesses.”
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England head coach John Mitchell lauds the influence of the Ladies’s Rugby World Cup in England.
Hosts and event favourites England received all three of their pool video games and, chatting with Sky Sports activities Information, Mitchell mentioned: “We’re within the phases of the event now the place there may be at all times an finish level. So we have to earn one other week and that makes it actually enjoyable as nicely as a result of you have to be sure you get the job completed.
“We now have actually tailored nicely (within the event). We now have learnt from completely different conditions. We now have had some accidents pre-tournament, some accidents in-tournament.
“We had been somewhat bit untidy within the first half in opposition to Australia and we labored our method out of that basically calmly.
“These conditions are actually vital to study from and be sure you get higher at them.”
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Alex Matthews was ‘bowled over’ after being chosen as England captain for his or her last pool sport in opposition to Australia
Heavy rain and gusty winds are forecast to coincide with Sunday’s 4pm match however Mitchell says his facet are nicely ready for such difficult circumstances.
“We consider that we are able to adapt to all circumstances,” he mentioned.
“We have got explicit performs up our sleeve that enable us to have the ability to dictate alternatives on the different finish of the sphere via the climate. I feel we’re nicely outfitted to take care of each.”
‘They’ve not seen this Scotland earlier than’ – underdogs relish ‘big’ conflict
Though world-ranked No 1 England are the clear favourites to progress to a semi-final tie in opposition to both France or Eire, Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm believes her facet characterize a really completely different proposition from the previous.
“This sport is large,” mentioned Malcolm, who will captain Scotland for a document 53rd time on Sunday.
“Scotland have not been in a quarter-final for 22 years and I feel it is a completely different kind of stress.
“Nobody expects us to win and that is form of the place we thrive. It’s the largest sport of our profession as a result of we’ve got an enormous quantity of perception on this crew.
“The performances have constructed week on week whereas we have been right here and to be at this stage, to be within the high eight groups on this planet in a contest, is huge for not simply this group however for Scotland ladies’s rugby within the historical past of this sport.
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Scotland’s Chloe Rollie holds off a problem throughout Scotland’s win of Fiji
“It would not really feel like stress; it seems like an honour and a privilege that we need to go and do justice, so we’re extremely exited.
“I do not assume we’ve got ever performed England with this Scotland crew and this degree of perception and this degree of unity. So it is a completely different sport and a special problem and one we could not be extra excited for.”
Francesca McGhie, who begins at left wing, mentioned: “They’ve not seen this Scotland earlier than so we’re simply excited to see what we are able to do.”
In the meantime, Scotland head coach Bryan Easson mentioned that whereas England characterize “very tough” opposition, his facet have loved an encouraging event and that “performances would recommend we’re enhancing”.
He additionally took word of Australia’s method of their early successes in opposition to England within the last pool sport, earlier than the hosts in the end received out snug 47-7 winners.
“I assumed Australia performed nicely that first 40 (minutes) and did put a whole lot of stress on England,” mentioned Easson.
“They put them below stress, they put the maul below stress as nicely, which was fascinating. So we have had a take a look at that and another video games as nicely the place they had been put below stress as nicely.
“So we’re nicely conscious of the alternatives however we’re additionally very nicely conscious of the threats as nicely.
“It is at all times a pressurised sport however most likely a World Cup quarter last there’s a little little bit of stress to carry out on them as nicely. So we’ve got to have a look at that and take each inch we are able to.”
England vs Scotland: How they are going to line up
ENGLAND
Beginning XV: 15 Helena Rowland, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Holly Aitchison, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Rosie Galligan, 6 Zoe Aldcroft (captain), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Alex Matthews.
Replacements: 16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Abbie Ward, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Zoe Harrison, 23 Emma Sing.
SCOTLAND
Beginning XV: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden; 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Christine Belisle, 4 Emma Wassell, 5 Sarah Bonar, 6 Rachel Malcolm (captain), 7 Evie Gallagher, 8 Jade Konkel.
Replacements: 16 Elis Martin, 17 Anne Younger, 18 Molly Poolman, 19 Eva Donaldson, 20 Rachel McLachlan, 21. Alex Stewart, 22 Caity Mattinson, 23 Evie Wills.
England’s World Cup outcomes to this point
Scotland’s World Cup outcomes to this point
Ladies’s World Cup – remaining fixtures
Quarter-finalsSeptember 13: New Zealand vs South Africa (Exeter) – 1pmSeptember 13: Canada vs Australia (Bristol) – 4pmSeptember 14: France vs Eire (Exeter) – 1pmSeptember 14: England vs Scotland (Bristol) – 4pmSemi-finalsSeptember 19: New Zealand/South Africa vs Canada/Australia (Bristol) – 7pmSeptember 20: France/Eire vs England/Scotland (Bristol) – 3.30pmBronze finalSeptember 27: TBC vs TBC (Twickenham) – 12.30pmFinalSeptember 27: TBC vs TBC (Twickenham) – 4pm
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