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Sport | Rugby Union | Women’s Rugby World Cup
England and France clash in the second semi-final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup today, with Canada awaiting in the showpiece.
Their most recent competitive meeting decided the 2025 Six Nations, with only one point the difference as the Red Roses edged out a thrilling 43-42 victory.
They faced one another in a pre-tournament friendly, too, where John Mitchell’s side claimed a more convincing 40-6 win in Mont-de-Marsan.
This match will provide a sterner test for England, who are yet to face a genuine contender at this World Cup. They cruised through the pool stage without getting out of second gear and brushed Scotland aside 40-8 in the quarter-finals despite being without two key players in Ellie Kildunne and Hannah Botterman.
France will push them all the way as they look to rain on the home favourites’ parade in front of a sold-out Ashton Gate.
Les Bleues, hoping to qualify for their first World Cup final, topped their pool with bonus-point victories over South Africa, Italy and Brazil before beating Ireland in an intense quarter-final, coming back from a 13-point deficit to progress.
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Canada beat New Zealand in the first semi-final on Friday evening.
England vs France is scheduled for a 3.30pm BST kick-off today on Saturday, September 20, 2025.
The match will take place at Ashton Gate in Bristol.
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live and free-to-air on BBC One. Coverage will begin at 2.45pm.
Live stream: Those with a TV license can also follow the contest live online via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Mitchell has made several changes ahead of this semi-final, reverting to the England squad which routed the United States in the tournament opener.
The Red Roses have received a double injury boost ahead of the match as both Kildunne and Botterman return to the XV, having recovered from concussion and a back spasm, respectively.
Fly-half Holly Aitchison impressed against Scotland in the quarter-final but drops to the bench here, with Zoe Harrison preferred.
Also dropped are forwards Helena Rowland and Kelsey Clifford, who were both on the scoresheet in the quarter-final.
France back row Axelle Berthoumieu will miss out after being slapped with a nine-match ban for biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafer in the quarter-final.
Also suspended is co-captain Manae Feleu, who committed a dangerous tackle in the same game. Her younger sister, Teani, comes into the squad in her place.
Carla Arbez is in at No10 with Toulouse mainstay Lina Queyroi suffering from a concussion.
England XV: Kildunne, Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft, Kabeya, Matthews.
Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Feaunati, Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.
France XV: Bourgeois, Grisez, Konde, Vernier, Menager; Arbez, Bourdon Sansus; Brosseau, Gerin, Bernadou, Fall Raclot, Ikahehegi, Escudero, Champon, Feleu
Replacements: Riffonneau, Deshaye, Khalfaoui, Maka, Okemba, Chambon, Tuy, Arbey
Recent results between England and France make for curious reading. The sides have met twice in recent months, with the Red Roses coming out on top both times, once by a one-point margin and once by 34.
Such a disparity between matches makes it tricky to predict a result, but one thing is certain – the onus is on England to win.
The Red Roses, considered clear favourites from day one, have made a mockery of this tournament thus far, reaching the semi-final stage with 248 points scored and just 25 conceded.
France will be their most challenging opposition so far, but it would be a surprise to see them prevent England from booking a ticket to Twickenham.
England to win, by 20 points.
The Red Roses have won their last 16 matches against Les Bleues, who last came out on top in this fixture in 2018.
England wins: 43
France wins: 14
Draws: 0
England to win: 1/40
France to win: 22/1
Draw: 50/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
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