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England name unchanged team for World Cup final against Canada

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ENGLAND HAVE NAMED an unchanged starting XV and bench for Saturday’s World Cup final against Canada at Allianz Stadium.

In a vote of confidence in the 23 that came through a test of character in England’s last four clash with France, they have been offered the chance to claim the game’s ultimate prize for the first time since 2014.

The selection means centre Megan Jones, who has been shortlisted for world player of the year, and wing Jess Breach will have started all six of the Red Roses’ games in the tournament.

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Fresh from her two-try player of the match display against France, Ellie Kildunne will spearhead England’s attack against opponents ranked second in the world, who dispatched current champions New Zealand in the semi-finals.

Natasha Hunt and Zoe Harrison remain as first choice half-backs while Zoe Aldcroft leads the team from blindside flanker.

England are odds-on to prevail in a repeat of the 2014 showpiece but are under pressure to prove they can deliver on the greatest stage of all having appeared in the previous six finals, yet won only one of them.

“Our staff and players have worked hard to reach this stage of the tournament,” head coach John Mitchell said.

“Playing a World Cup final at Allianz Stadium in front of a record 82,000 is a significant milestone for the sport.

“We are well prepared for the challenge against Canada. It is number one versus number two in the world, and we know the contest will demand a full 80 minutes.

“Our focus remains on staying in our process and executing effectively.”

England:

  • 15. E Kildunne (Harlequins)
  • 14. A Dow (Unattached)
  • 13. M Jones (Trailfinders)
  • 12. T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury)
  • 11. J Breach (Saracens)
  • 10. Z Harrison (Saracens)
  • 9. N Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury)
  • 1. H Botterman (Bristol)
  • 2. A Cokayne (Sale)
  • 3. M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury)
  • 4. M Talling (Sale)
  • 5. A Ward (Bristol)
  • 6. Z Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury) – capt
  • 7. S Kabeya (Loughborough)
  • 8. A Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury)

Replacements:

  • 16. L Atkin-Davies (Bristol)
  • 17. K Clifford (Saracens)
  • 18. S Bern (Bristol)
  • 19. R Galligan (Saracens)
  • 20. M Feaunati (Exeter)
  • 21. L Packer (Harlequins)
  • 22. H Aitchison (Sale)
  • 23. H Rowland (Loughborough)

Sports

Irish teenage stopper Keane the cup hero for Blades

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Republic of Ireland teenage goalkeeper Katie Keane served notice of her huge promise as she starred in Sheffield United’s penalty shootout win against Durham in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

Keane, 19, joined Women’s Super League outfit Leicester City from Shamrock Rovers in the summer.

On Wednesday afternoon she completed a seven-day emergency loan move to Championship side Sheffield United, who were short in the goalkeeping department after losing both Sian Rogers and Charlotte Parker-Smith to injury.

Keane went straight into the team for the cup clash and made an instant impact.

Joy Ralph – who left Shamrock Rovers for the Blades around the same time Keane joined Leicester – put the visitors ahead at Maiden Castle Sports Park with a good finish in the 18th minute.

Durham equalised just before half-time, but they couldn’t be separated after that, with the game going to a shootout.

Keane made saves to deny Beth Hepple and Becky Salicki to swing it for the Blade. Afterwards she reflected on a whirlwind 24 hours.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Keane told Sheffield United club media.

“It’s some debut. To think that I haven’t actually been a Sheffield player until about four hours ago, that’s just the fun of it you know?

“The penos, thank God I saved them. The game was really, really good and I’m really proud of all the girls and the youngsters who came on and put in a really good shift.”

Keane, who first broke through at Athlone Town, will be hoping her performance caught the attention of Republic of Ireland boss Carla Ward ahead of next month’s Nations League play-off against Belgium.

She was included in Eileen Gleeson’s senior squad for last year’s Euro 2025 play-off semi-final against Georgia, but has not been called up since.


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Sports

Irish teenage stopper Keane the cup hero for Blades

Published

on

Read the full article on post.

Republic of Ireland teenage goalkeeper Katie Keane served notice of her huge promise as she starred in Sheffield United’s penalty shootout win against Durham in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

Keane, 19, joined Women’s Super League outfit Leicester City from Shamrock Rovers in the summer.

On Wednesday afternoon she completed a seven-day emergency loan move to Championship side Sheffield United, who were short in the goalkeeping department after losing both Sian Rogers and Charlotte Parker-Smith to injury.

Keane went straight into the team for the cup clash and made an instant impact.

Joy Ralph – who left Shamrock Rovers for the Blades around the same time Keane joined Leicester – put the visitors ahead at Maiden Castle Sports Park with a good finish in the 18th minute.

Durham equalised just before half-time, but they couldn’t be separated after that, with the game going to a shootout.

Keane made saves to deny Beth Hepple and Becky Salicki to swing it for the Blade. Afterwards she reflected on a whirlwind 24 hours.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Keane told Sheffield United club media.

“It’s some debut. To think that I haven’t actually been a Sheffield player until about four hours ago, that’s just the fun of it you know?

“The penos, thank God I saved them. The game was really, really good and I’m really proud of all the girls and the youngsters who came on and put in a really good shift.”

Keane, who first broke through at Athlone Town, will be hoping her performance caught the attention of Republic of Ireland boss Carla Ward ahead of next month’s Nations League play-off against Belgium.

She was included in Eileen Gleeson’s senior squad for last year’s Euro 2025 play-off semi-final against Georgia, but has not been called up since.


[embedded content]

Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Continue Reading

Sports

Irish teenage stopper Keane the cup hero for Blades

Published

on

Read the full article on post.

Republic of Ireland teenage goalkeeper Katie Keane served notice of her huge promise as she starred in Sheffield United’s penalty shootout win against Durham in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

Keane, 19, joined Women’s Super League outfit Leicester City from Shamrock Rovers in the summer.

On Wednesday afternoon she completed a seven-day emergency loan move to Championship side Sheffield United, who were short in the goalkeeping department after losing both Sian Rogers and Charlotte Parker-Smith to injury.

Keane went straight into the team for the cup clash and made an instant impact.

Joy Ralph – who left Shamrock Rovers for the Blades around the same time Keane joined Leicester – put the visitors ahead at Maiden Castle Sports Park with a good finish in the 18th minute.

Durham equalised just before half-time, but they couldn’t be separated after that, with the game going to a shootout.

Keane made saves to deny Beth Hepple and Becky Salicki to swing it for the Blade. Afterwards she reflected on a whirlwind 24 hours.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Keane told Sheffield United club media.

“It’s some debut. To think that I haven’t actually been a Sheffield player until about four hours ago, that’s just the fun of it you know?

“The penos, thank God I saved them. The game was really, really good and I’m really proud of all the girls and the youngsters who came on and put in a really good shift.”

Keane, who first broke through at Athlone Town, will be hoping her performance caught the attention of Republic of Ireland boss Carla Ward ahead of next month’s Nations League play-off against Belgium.

She was included in Eileen Gleeson’s senior squad for last year’s Euro 2025 play-off semi-final against Georgia, but has not been called up since.


[embedded content]

Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Continue Reading

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