Aoife Wafer is ruled out of Ireland's opening Women's Rugby World Cup match against Japan as she continues her recovery from knee surgery.

Unbeaten in their last 27 matches, the Red Roses must handle the pressure of being overwhelming favourites on home soil

Things have changed for Georgia Ponsonby. As the Black Ferns hooker goes into her second World Cup campaign, the difference between the two is stark. In Auckland in 2022, the World Cup delayed a year by Covid-19, Ponsonby was a relative newcomer to the squad.

England have named an unchanged starting XV for Friday's opening game of the Women's Rugby World Cup against the United States in Sunderland.

Tickets for September 27 showpiece at Allianz Stadium already sold out, with World Rugby claiming they could have sold 82,000 allocation two or three times over

Sarah Hunter, the Red Roses defence coach, believes this month’s Women’s Rugby World Cup will attract more women into coaching roles.