England v USA, Friday, 7.30pm, BBC1

[Which Tyler]

Ref: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TJs: Natarsha Ganley, Maria Heitor
TMO: Leo Colgan

Recent results
2024: USA 21-61 Red Roses
2022: Red Roses 52-14 USA
2021: Red Roses 89-0 USA
2019: USA 5-38 Red Roses
2018: Red Roses 57-5 USA

[Which Tyler]

Red Roses team to play USA
1 Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)
2 Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks, 84 caps)
3 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 42 caps)
4 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 23 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 76 caps)
6 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 65 caps)
7 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 23 caps)
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 76 caps)

09 Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury, 82 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 59 caps)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 47 caps)
12 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 31 caps)
13 Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women, 27 caps)
14 Abby Dow (Unattached, 54 caps)
15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 53 caps)

16 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 68 caps), 17 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 15 caps), 18 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 73 caps), 19 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 25 caps), 20 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)
21 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 33 caps), 22 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 118 caps), 23 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 10 caps)

[CunningPunter]

A relevant result is: NZ 79 - USA 14 (24/5/2025).

It will be interesting to compare this with the result on Friday.

[Which Tyler]

A relevant result is: NZ 79 - USA 14 (24/5/2025).

It will be interesting to compare this with the result on Friday.

Nah, once it's more than 30-odd points difference, there's no meaningful difference - unless you're worried that you'll be level with someone in all-but points difference - which isn't something England should be worrying about.

Put the game away, keep the powder dry, get the stars off the pitch as early as reasonable.
No-one's going to care if it's 80-20 or 40-10

[Which Tyler]

USA team to face England

1. Hope Rogers
2. Kathryn Treder
3. Keia Mae Sagapolu
4. Tahlia Brody
5. Erica Jarrell-Searcy
6. Kate Zackary (c)
7. Georgie Perris-Redding
8. Rachel Johnson

09. Olivia Ortiz
10. McKenzie Hawkins
11. Bulou Mataitoga
12. Alev Kelter
13. Ilona Maher
14. Emily Henrich
15. Lotte Sharp

16. Paige Statholpoulos, 17. Alivia Letherman, 18. Charli Jacoby 19. Rachel Ehrecke 20. Freda Tafuna
21 Cassidy. Bargell 22. Kristin Bitter 23. Sariah Ibarra

[Mr Mwenda]

Hoping for a statement performance from the red roses and no stuttering in the backline.

[Danno]

That's a full bore team, and yes, absolutely get the bench on once the game is won.

[Cameo]

As usual, a lot of articles about Maher and she comes across well. Can someone who has seen more of here play tell me how good she is?

Not wanting to come across as a killjoy, but genuinely curious how much of the noise around her is marketing and how much is based on rugby.

[Which Tyler]

As usual, a lot of articles about Maher and she comes across well. Can someone who has seen more of here play tell me how good she is?

She's okay at 7s, not a star, but a solid international.
Not played enough XVs to really know yet (she's had what? 5 matches for Bristol and 5 for Eagles?)

Not wanting to come across as a killjoy, but genuinely curious how much of the noise around her is marketing and how much is based on rugby.

Oh, almost none of the noise comes from her performance on the rugby pitch - it's from her celebrity status, which brings eyes onto the sport who wouldn't otherwise watch.

[Mr Mwenda]

Great defensive read by the USA after a loose kick.

Kildunne misses a chance to offload. I'll call it keeping hold of possession this time.

[Mr Mwenda]

As usual, a lot of articles about Maher and she comes across well. Can someone who has seen more of here play tell me how good she is?

Not wanting to come across as a killjoy, but genuinely curious how much of the noise around her is marketing and how much is based on rugby.

I get the impression that she has a certain x-factor that shines in sevens but yes her profile is a bit disproportionate.

England first try at the banker lineout drive.

[Mr Mwenda]

Fair play USA, very odd the obstruction wasn't called earlier in the move but England will be disappointed by how the defensive organisation disintegrated a bit there.

[Which Tyler]

Whatever Brian says, that's a yellow these days, they changed the laws a year or two ago

[CunningPunter]

H'm, Breach misses another crucial tackle

[morepork]

Good game. US have some athletes but England pretty scary.

[Which Tyler]

Power by Muir

[Mr Mwenda]

Memo to the back 3: look what happens when you pass!

[Which Tyler]

Memo to the back 3: look what happens when you pass!

Well, the back 1, but yes, absolutely

[charlesdeboeuf]

England desperately need Claudia MacDonald back fit. Jess Breach has the defensive commitment of Thomas Ramos and I can see it costing England in the knock-outs.

[Mr Mwenda]

Looks like a cracking evening in makem country.

[Which Tyler]

Wow

[Mr Mwenda]

Restarts a concern. But motoring now.

[Which Tyler]

More than a concern.
USA can't hurt us, but we'll need to sort that before facing Canada or NZ.
Even France could hurt us if we're this bad there.

[Mr Mwenda]

Haha Kildunne really didn't want to pass there! But she did in the end.

[Mr Mwenda]

More than a concern.
USA can't hurt us, but we'll need to sort that before facing Canada or NZ.
Even France could hurt us if we're this bad there.

Plenty of practice today at least. Hopefully a simple fix. The us have kicked off quite strangely so it may also be chance a bit.