England's Red Roses secured a place in the Rugby World Cup final with a hard-fought 27-19 victory over France at Ashton Gate. Ellie Kildunne scored two tries, including a stunning solo effort, as England set up a showdown with Canada at a sold-out Twickenham next Saturday.
The match was far from straightforward for England, who were put under immense pressure by a French side that had been written off as underdogs. France, missing key players through injury and suspension, dominated the first half and led 7-5 at the break. England's defence, led by Meg Jones and Hannah Botterman, held firm under sustained pressure.
England's attack struggled for fluency, with two tries ruled out for forward passes. They relied on their rolling maul to regain momentum, with Abbie Ward and Kildunne crossing the line. The decisive score came from Jones, who was outstanding throughout, to seal England's place in the final.
Head coach John Mitchell acknowledged the performance was not complete, saying: 'We can only play what is in front of us. We will need a full 80-minute performance against Canada.' The Red Roses will be seeking to end 11 years of hurt and claim their first World Cup title since 2014.
