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Before kick-off and 17 minutes in, I was convinced that England would win this. But now I’m not sure. They have done well with 14 players so far, but can they keep it up? I’m not sure.
It’s a spirited performance from England who went down to 14 just under 20 minutes into the game. Thompson’s high kick on Woodman deserved a red card, it was dangerous and Woodman has been forced out of the game. See it:
Middle: New Zealand 19-26 England
Well, what 40 minutes. Seven attempts and a red card.
TRY! New Zealand 19-26 England (Regulation, 40′)
The starting line is clean and the driving maul is used. England defend it well but Rule falls apart and it’s over! Holmes misses the extras.
Updated at 0718 GMT
39 min: New Zealand have the lead but Leti-I’iga makes a great break. England give a penalty and New Zealand take a corner.
38 min: England try to break the line out but the hosts clear. Fluhler is loose with the pass, but Holmes does a great job of picking it up. O’Donnell makes a great tackle, but New Zealand still arrive.
37 min: England have the scrum penalty and dominate the set piece. They’re running it but New Zealand have the penalty as O’Donnell has the neck, not what they need right now. But they play! So back and forth! Harrison takes an absolute kick that’s a meter away from the try line, but it’s not 50:22.
35 min: England are challenging in this final, they are a player down but they are playing very well! If they can come in and not concede again, it will be impressive. New Zealand touch through Leti-I’iga and England have the scrum.
New Zealand’s Sarah Hirini runs away from Ellie Kildunne. Photograph: Andrew Cornaga/AP
Updated at 0716 GMT
TRY! New Zealand 14-26 England (Cokayne, 33′)
The maul is good and Cokayne celebrates! This is a team change to 14. Scarratt adds the extras!
Updated at 0715 GMT
32 min: Holmes intercepts a long pass but Davidson whistles as we go back for the lead, she takes it anyway, much to Eden Park’s dismay. England throw to the corner and will look to bring the driving maul here.
30 min: New Zealand go with the scrum and they go wide, they decide to pass it with Holmes kicking to try and find Tui, but he’s offside. Cokayne’s line-out is good and the maul is back in play, they will have to go a long way here. England do have the advantage.
28 min: We’re back on the road and Aldcroft has received some treatment and is out for an HIA. O’Donnell is in place.
28 min: They match a few meters from the line and Matthews collects it. McMenamin looks to have turned it over but Davidson comes back for a penalty. But England touched first so I think it’s a New Zealand scrum. Slight tear in play with a water break.
27 min: New Zealand with the ball again, this could be an emphatic win after the red. But as soon as I say that Demant throws the ball out of play. England’s exit is clean and the driving maul is here again/
TRY! New Zealand 14-19 England (Leti-I’iga, 26′)
New Zealand use the driving maul and England are doing well to repel it. They are forced to run it wide and the Leti-I’iga substitution is over. Holmes adds the extras with a magnificent kick!
Ayesha Leti-l’iga scores a try and the Black Ferns respond. Photograph: David Rowland/Reuters
Updated at 07.11 GMT
24 min: This game could still go either way but it will be a tough ask from England, the early tries will help them but my defense will have to be clean. Ward taps in the restart and New Zealand kicks in the corner.
TRY! New Zealand 7-19 England (M Packer, 21′)
The driving maul is over, this time by Packer. Simon Middleton punched the air as they went over, shows what it means after the red card. Scarratt’s conversion is out of print.
England’s Marlie Packer goes through to score in a perfect response to the red card. Photograph: Michael Bradley/AFP/Getty Images
Updated at 07.06 GMT
21 min: New Zealand have a bad restart and England have a line-out just five meters out. The driving maul will surely come into play and it does. Now they need the points here.
TRY! New Zealand 7-14 England (Ponsonby, 18′)
The driving maul is deadly for New Zealand this time. Holmes gets the extras. I’m a little shocked by the last few minutes.
New Zealand is right back at it. Photograph: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images
Updated at 07.07 GMT
18 min: Woodman is down, conscious but on a cart. Leti-I’iga is marching for her. This is a great moment in this final.
RED CARD! New Zealand – England 0-14 (Thompson, 18′)
This is completely the right call. It was a head-to-head clash with Woodman and the winger is in some pain.
The red card comes out. Photograph: David Rowland/Reuters
Updated at 0657 GMT
18 min: Woodman looks to be in some trouble here with the medics around him as England turn him and clear his lines with M Packer turning him around. This is worrying for the winger and Davidson looks here.
17 min: Fluhler charges Aitchison’s kick but Packer does well to collect it! However, England give it away in attack and we have the first scrum when the ball hits the referee. New Zealand have the innings and England have a small push, but the hosts get away with it. Woodman comes down the wing and they spread it across the other wing to Tui!
Updated at 0652 GMT
TRY! New Zealand – England 0-14 (Cokayne, 13′)
They kick in the corner, will we see the maul driver? We do! New Zealand doing well to repel him but England march forward and Cokayne is over! The hooker screams in celebration and there is more cheering as Scarratt gets the extras.
England’s Amy Cokayne scores a try. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/World Rugby/Getty Images
Updated at 07.03 GMT
12 min: The New Zealand attack has stalled a bit and so they opt for the kick. Dow runs it and then kicks and the hosts are forced to run it, Woodman makes a big break! It is downloaded to Hirini and they are now going through the phases. But England turn it around again as New Zealand are out on their feet. Harrison kicks and we have another England line-out. It’s clean once more and Scarratt unloads on Kildunne. New Zealand think they’ve turned it over, but it’s England’s penalty.
10 min: New Zealand are back on the attack, the kick is in but can’t get to Tui or Fluhler. England’s line-out is clean once again and Harrison dismisses it. Woodman comes down the wing but England turn it over at the breakdown. This is end to end!
8 min: Fullback Holmes misses the kick! Wow, the nerves are slightly showing.
7 min: Bern give away the penalty at the break and New Zealand aim for the posts, they know how important points are.
6 min: It’s a bad restart from England and New Zealand have it. They exchange kicks and the Black Ferns have their first line-out. It’s loose from Ponsonby but the hosts have it and want to counter quickly.
TRY! New Zealand – England 0-7 (Kildunne, 3′)
Dow escapes down the wing and passes to Thompson who does well to keep him alive. England have the lead and go over with Kildunne crashing over! Scarratt makes a big kick for the extras.
England’s Ellie Kildunne celebrates with her teammates. Photograph: Greg Bowker/Getty Images
Updated at 0651 GMT
2 min: Thompson wins the kick-off and Harrison receives the first kick. New Zealand decide to run it but England spin it through M Packer. Harrison takes another kick but Holmes does well under pressure not to regain possession. The hosts play it from deep here but Demant bowls and England have their first line out, it’s clean and England attack.
Start! New Zealand 0-0 England
Five weeks, 25 games and only one game to play. Over the next 80 minutes we will find out the winners of the 2021 tournament, here we are!
I’m crying just seeing the crowd, what an occasion! As corny as it sounds, it doesn’t matter who takes the trophy, women’s rugby is the ultimate winner.
The players have come out and the anthems will be in full swing, followed by the haka! It all boils down to this! The nerves are so real I have no idea how the players are feeling.
England head coach Simon Middleton told ITV: “Exciting. I think everyone is excited. We’re hoping it’s a great game. We’re just focusing on the job at hand.”
And he added of L Packer’s late switch: “We kind of knew all week that Leanne has been struggling. It’s tough but you can’t send someone out at 70%. We’ve been putting it all week. We anticipated it could happen.”
England are the favorites for this one, but it will be such a tough test for New Zealand in their own backyard. So much suspense, 15 minutes to go…
Catch up with our previews for Saturday’s big game at Eden Park.
The opening montage made me cry, this morning is going to be emotional…
Here are some stats to get you warmed up for this one! England have scored 239 points so far in the tournament and conceded just 50. The Black Ferns, meanwhile, have scored 234 points and conceded 56.
Eden Park will be sold out for this final with 40,000 fans expected. If that many fans turn up, which looks likely to fill up before kick-off, the record attendance for a women’s rugby match will be broken. An amazing success and one that shows the impact this tournament has had.
World Rugby has confirmed that if England can beat New Zealand in today’s final, they will be awarded the highest rating ever given to an international rugby team in the world rankings!
I’m nervous, excited, excited – I’m feeling it! How do you feel before the final? Let me know via Twitter, @rendellx or email.
Third and fourth place were decided earlier today with France thrashing Canada 36-0. The score didn’t reflect the fight that Canada showed, but…