Black Ferns coaches have made just one injury-enforced change to their match-day 23 with 2017 World Cup winner Charmaine McMenamin replacing Liana Mikaele-Tu’u who sustained a thumb injury in the semi-final victory.
The team features six players who took part in the 2017 Rugby World Cup Final against the same opposition, with McMenamin joined by Sarah Hirini, Kendra Cocksedge, Portia Woodman, Theresa Fitzpatrick and Stacey Fluhler in lining up for consecutive finals.
Black Ferns coaching director Wayne Smith, who works with assistant coaches Wesley Clarke and Whitney Hansen, said throughout this whole campaign selection had been incredibly difficult.
"We are pretty happy with the continuity in this line-up and only the one change this week.
“Charmaine comes into the team and she’s already had some good minutes on the field during the World Cup and obviously brings that experience from 2017 as well,” said Smith.
Not shying away from the task at hand, Smith said this weekend will be as tough as they come.
Facing the greatest
“It is going to be a massive challenge. We are playing against possibly one of the greatest teams in the history of rugby. They’ve won 30 tests in a row which is remarkable and it's going to take a huge effort.
“The support for the team has been amazing but that also brings its own challenges. We have to show we can cope with those challenges and focus on playing the rugby that we love,” Smith said.
This will be the 30th test between the teams, having first met in 1997. The Black Ferns have won 18, drawn one and lost 10.
It will be the fourth time the teams have met in a Rugby World Cup Final, most recently the Black Ferns coming from behind to win 41-32 in Ireland in 2017.
There have only been three tests between the nations since the last Rugby World Cup, the Black Ferns winning in San Diego in 2019 – England’s last defeat before going on a 30-match winning streak, including two wins over the Black Ferns last year.