New Zealand's Black Ferns are bidding to end England's Test-record 30-match winning run when the two sides face off in the Women's Rugby World Cup final this Saturday.
Simon Middleton's number-one ranked Red Roses have surpassed their hosts' previous world record of 24 successive Test wins and will be looking to extend their run, the most of any men's or women's international side, one game further to win the biggest prize of them all.
History is on the line for both sides in the rematch of the 2017 final, where England were beaten 41-32. England were undoubtedly the favourites long before this tournament kicked off, but New Zealand have been in scintillating form too and are likely to give England their biggest challenge in recent years.
The Black Ferns are seeking a record sixth title and their first on home soil, having won four of the last five editions of the World Cup. They have never lost to England in a World Cup final in four meetings.
The showpiece between the world's top two nations is poised to break an attendance record, with over 40,000 ticket-holders expected to descend on Auckland's sold-out Eden Park.
Here's everything you need to know about New Zealand v England in the Women's Rugby World Cup final:
What time is New Zealand v England kick-off in Women's Rugby World Cup final?
England's Red Roses face World Cup hosts and reigning champions New Zealand in the tournament's final at 6.30am UK time on Saturday, November 12.
What TV channel is the World Cup final on? What about live streaming?
Live coverage of New Zealand v England will begin on ITV1 at 6am on Saturday, through to 9.15am. Viewers will also be able to live stream coverage via the ITV Hub. For radio listeners, you can listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live.
What's the New Zealand v England team news?
England head coach Simon Middleton has made five changes to the line-up that beat Canada in the semi-final. Helena Rowland sustained a foot injury in that match and will be replaced by Harlequins' Ellie Kildunne at full-back, while her club team-mate Vickii Cornborough gets the nod at loose-head prop following a knee injury to Hannah Botterman in training last week. Middleton has also elected to start Holly Aitchison at inside centre in place of Tatyana Heard, who is among the substitutes.
New Zealand have made one injury-enforced change as No. 8 Charmaine McMenamin replaces Liana Mikaele-Tu'u.
England: Kildunne; Thompson, Scarratt, Aitchison, Dow; Harrison, Infante; Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Aldcroft, Ward, Matthews, M Packer, Hunter (capt).
Replacements: Davies, Muir, Brown, O'Donnell, Cleall, Kabeya, MacDonald, Heard.
New Zealand: Holmes; Tui, Fluhler, Fitzpatrick, Woodman; Demant (capt), Cocksedge; Love, Ponsonby, Rule, Roos, C Bremner, A Bremner, Hirini, McMenamin.
Replacements: Connor, Murray, Taumata, Ngan-Woo, Simon, Bayler, Tubic, Leti-I'iga.
Where is the World Cup final being played?
This World Cup final is being played at Eden Park in Auckland, where New Zealand have never actually lost.
The fact the home of Kiwi rugby has sold out for the tournament's finale, with the country's public getting behind its women's team for the first time, is made even more special by the fact that nobody had ever paid to watch the Black Ferns play on home soil before this World Cup.
With a capacity of more than 40,000, it is likely to be a record attendance for a women's rugby match. The previous record was set on the tournament's opening day, when there were 34,235 fans at Eden Park.
What have the coaches said?
England head coach Simon Middleton: "I think it will be more intimidating for New Zealand. To lose in front of your home crowd is a tough gig. So the pressure on them is absolutely massive.
"We said right at the start, the opportunity that the competition gave us is exactly the opportunity that's now in front of us. Very rarely in life do you get an opportunity to be the best you can be or try and achieve the ultimate and test yourself. We're really fortunate that we've now got that scenario. That's why we're looking forward to it so much."
New Zealand director of rugby Wayne Smith: "We're in a place that probably not a lot of people thought we would have got to. We've got the best team probably of all time at the weekend. We're just enjoying it. We've got to be at our very best - every single individual - to get close."
Who is the New Zealand v England World Cup final referee?
Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will referee the World Cup final between the Black Ferns and England, marking her 26 Test. She will become the first woman to have refereed Rugby World Cup finals in both sevens and 15s, in the space of 62 days.
Having made her Test debut in 2018, Davidson is the fourth female to take charge of a Women's Rugby World Cup final after Sarah Corrigan (Australia, 2010), Amy Perrett (Australia, 2014) and Joy Neville (Ireland, 2017) and is the second Scottish official to referee a Women’s Rugby World Cup final, following in footsteps of Jim Fleming in 1994.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Aiee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) and Aurélie Groizeleau (France)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
New Zealand's record
New Zealand won 24 straight Tests from May 2002 before losing 10-3 to England in November 2009. Along the way they scored 871 points, an average of 36.3 per game, and conceded only 153 - less than a converted try, 6.4 points, per match.
While England were the team to end the run, they were also the most frequent opponents along the way with the Black Ferns winning six meetings between the sides, by scores of 19-9, 38-0, 24-15, 33-8, 25-17 and 16-3. They had five wins over Australia and four against Canada, with France, Scotland, Germany, the United States, Samoa and a World XV their other victims.
England's current run
September's 73-7 hammering of Wales saw England head into the World Cup as record-breakers and they have since beaten Fiji, France, South Africa, Australia and Canada to reach Saturday's final. Not since July 2019, and a 28-13 defeat to New Zealand, have Middleton's side failed to win a Test match. That match, the final game and title decider of the five-team Super Series in the United States, saw Kiwi wing Renee Wickliffe run in a hat-trick - the 35-year-old remains a part of the squad at this tournament and scored twice against Scotland.
England beat France in three of their next four Tests and nine times in total on the run - with those matches ranking as the nine narrowest winning margins until the 26-19 semi-final win over Canada slotted in seventh. England beat Les Bleues by two points on three occasions, four, six (twice), 10, 12 and 23 and every other opponent prior to last weekend by at least 27.
Their overall record reads 1,405 points scored and only 247 conceded, a per-match average of 46.8 to 8.2. That includes a pair of comprehensive wins over New Zealand, 43-12 and 56-15 in the autumn of 2021 - though the Black Ferns have responded well since then.
Wayne Smith's side followed up those losses with two more against France but have been perfect since, an 11-match winning run averaging almost 46 points scored and just over nine conceded and capped with a semi-final win over France by a single point in Auckland. Back at Eden Park and with recent form to rival England's, they will be a force to be reckoned with as the Red Roses look to crown their glorious run in the most fitting fashion.
What time is Canada v France World Cup bronze final kick-off?
Canada v France will kick off at 3.30am UK time on Saturday, November 12.
Sara Cox (England) will take charge of the bronze final, joined by Joy Neville (Ireland) and Lauren Jenner (New Zealand) as assistant referees and Ian Tempest (England) as the TMO.
