By Matt Hardy
On Saturday, England Women will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign against Fiji at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. They are overwhelming favourites, and it’s a tag they haven’t been able to shake in recent years.
Simon Middleton’s Red Roses head to the Land of the Long White Cloud on a 25-match winning run which has included victories over the next best in Europe as well as the best in North America and Oceania. Never have the side been so overwhelmingly expected to bring home the trophy.
England peaking
“You’d be mad to bet against them,” 2014 World Cup winner Kat Merchant tells City A.M. “They are massively peaking pre-tournament and they are in really, really good shape.
“It’s going to take a total mess up from them, or someone else to put in a high performance, to put them off balance.
“England are clear favourites, and it’s going to be France and New Zealand as the two main challengers to that.”
England lost the last World Cup final, in Belfast, 41-32 to the Black Ferns at a time when the Kiwis were seen as undisputedly the best in the world – despite the lack of full-time contracted players at the time.
But last year, when the fearsome side travelled to play England across two fixtures, they lost over two weekends with an aggregate score of 99-27. The results sent shockwaves through the rugby world.
For a long time England and France had been battling it out across Six Nations matches and summer series, but when the world champions were in town the Red Roses brushed them aside.
Euro wars
In the pool stages of this forthcoming World Cup – where England are joined by France, South Africa and Fiji – it’s their European neighbours who are likely to provide the sternest test.
“England and France have pushed each other to get better,” 54-cap winger Merchant adds. “Those two in particular have put out great performances against each other.
“I think England have the edge mentally. If France are ahead, England always pull back. France will know that they’ll need to be scores ahead to be safe.
“England’s depth will give them confidence. No matter what the picture looks like, they can perform.
“I was worried that they were going around and beating everybody. What if it gets tough? But France have offered that dogfight so they’ve been tested.”
Depth
England’s squad excluded some experienced players such as scrum-half Mo Hunt – to the surprise of many – and Bryony Cleall but has maintained a level of depth which makes them the envy of the world. Their domestic league, too, is full of internationals playing in the most competitive women’s division in the world.
“I love watching Marlie Packer play,” adds Merchant. “I think she gives every single thing to every game. She’s everywhere and she’s my one to watch when it comes to the England side.
“One of the good things about this team is that it’s a squad, not all individuals. We do have some exciting wingers: I love watching Lydia Thompson play, she’s absolutely rapid.”
About performance
But the reality of women’s rugby right now is that it’s not a stable or long-term career. Many Red Roses cannot rely simply on their international matchday payments and the shadow of life after sport looms large, as it does in the men’s game.
Merchant, who started on the right wing when England beat Canada 21-9 in Paris to win the 2014 World Cup, has since become a personal trainer and has been a leading voice in advocating body positivity among women.
“Times are changing,” she says. “Women are now viewed as being strong and that’s positive.
“Previously, as I have experienced, people were like, ‘you’re muscly, you must be a bloke’ but that’s changing.
“It’s becoming about performance and the Red Roses and Lionesses’ success has helped that.”
Kat Merchant is a former England player whose Elite-14 programme offers fitness, nutrition and lifestyle coaching to achieve sustainable results.
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