England, New Zealand Name Lineups For Super Series Decide
England, New Zealand Name Lineups For Super Series Decide
England and New Zealand have named their lineups for the Women's Super Series decider.
New Zealand and England have named their lineups for the Women's Super Series clincher Sunday in San Diego, CA.
The game will be played at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego, and will decide who is #1 in the world, and also who wins the Super Series.
Les Elder returns to the lineup and captains the Black Ferns, which is coming off a disappointing loss to France that dropped New Zealand to 2-1.
Scurmhalf and vice captain Kendra Cocksedge lead the Super Series with 32 poins scored. The other vice captain, lock Eloise Blackwell, is tied for 3rd in most tries, with two.
For England, lock Abbie Scott will earn her 40th cap, while captain Sarah Hunter leads the squad from the No. 8 position, while Kelly Smith, who leads the Super Series with three tries, is actually on the bench.
England can take the Super Series and the World #1 ranking with a win or a tie. New Zealand needs a win.
1. Toka Natua (19)
2. Te Kura Ngata-Arerengemate (27)
3. Aleisha-Pearl Nelson (32)
4. Eloise Blackwell (Vice captain, 40)
5. Charmaine Smith (24)
6. Pia Tapsell (3)
7. Les Elder (Captain, 15)
8. Charmaine McMenamin (21)
9. Kendra Cocksedge (Vice captain, 50) 10. Ruahei Demant (8)
11. Ayesha Leti-I'iga (6)
12. Chelsea Alley (21)
13. Carla Hohepa (21)
14. Renee Wickliffe (38)
15. Kelly Brazier (39)
Reserves
16. Luka Connor (2)
17. Phillipa Love (10)
18. Leilani Perese (8)
19. Joanah Ngan-Woo (1)
20. Marcelle Parkes (4)
21. Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (3)
22. Theresa Fitzpatrick (10)
23. Alena Saili (4)
1. Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins Ladies – 48 caps)
2. Lark Davies (Worcester Warriors Women – 20 caps)
3. Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears Women – 27 caps)
4. Catherine O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning – 15 caps)
5. Abbie Scott (Harlequins Ladies – 39 caps)
6. Poppy Cleall (Saracens Women – 32 caps)
7. Marlie Packer (Saracens Women – 67 caps)
8. Sarah Hunter (capt) (Loughborough Lightning – 115 caps)
9. Leanne Riley (Harlequins Ladies – 30 caps)
10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens Women – 16 caps)
11. Claudia Macdonald (Wasps FC Ladies – 6 caps)
12. Emily Scott (Harlequins Ladies – 31 caps)
13. Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning – 81 caps)
14. Lydia Thompson (Worcester Warriors Women – 43 caps)
15. Sarah McKenna (Saracens Women – 24 caps)
16. Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks – 18 caps)
17. Ellena Perry (Saracens Women – 6 caps)
18. Hannah Botterman (Saracens Women – 13 caps)
19. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury Women – 12 caps)
20. Sarah Beckett (Firwood Waterloo Ladies – 9 caps)
21. Amber Reed (Bristol Bears Women – 52 caps)
22. Millie Wood (Gloucester-Hartpury Women – 7 caps)
23. Kelly Smith (Gloucester-Hartpury Women –12 caps)
The Upshot
England's forward pack has been monumental in this Super Series, but is up against a pretty strong front eight in the Black Ferns. But New Zealand's concentration breakdowns against France will be a concern, as France met the Black Ferns physically and exposed them in the kicking game and in the counterattack.
England is certainly capable of that performance, as well, and in what promises to be a tight, fractious contest, we see England coming out 23-17 winners.
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