Key events
Sarah Rendell, our eyes and ears on the ground, has this to say:
The sun is shining in Brighton as fans pour into the stadium with Jess Breach masks, cowboy hats and rose hats. This match is a sell-out and the atmosphere would blow the roof off if this stadium had one. If my maths is correct, Australia just need to avoid a defeat by 86 points to go through to the quarter-finals after the USA beat Samoa 60-0 earlier today.
Australia team
The Wallaroos just need a point to progress to the last eight and receive a huge boost with the return of captain Siokapesi Palu.
Absent since early July, the backrower adds real ballast to a side that has continually looked dangerous ball-in-hand.
They’ve got danger players in the back field with teenage sensation Caitlyn Halse needing something close to the game of her young life this afternoon.
Australia: Caitlyn Halse; Maya Stewart, Georgina Fridrichs, Trillen Pomare, Desiree Miller; Faitala Moleka, Samantha Wood; Lydia Kavoa, Adiana Talakai, Asioiva Karpani, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Piper Duck, Ashley Marsters, Siokapesi Palu (c).
Replacements: Tania Naden, Falko Pohva, Bridie O’Gorman, Annabelle Codey, Emily Chancellor, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Tia HInds, Cecilia Smith.
England team
Here’s a mad stat: Jess Breach has never been beaten in 49 Tests.
It’s a powerful pack that’ll look to set a platform for the returning Zoe Harrison who is clearly in the driver’s seat for the 10 jersey.
Elli Kildunne also returns and has an immense bench in support.
They really are world class from front to back.
England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Megan Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Hannah Botterman, Amy Cokayne, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Abbie Ward, Morwenna Talling, Sadia Kabeya, Alex Mathews (c)
Replacements: Lark Atkin-Davies, Kelsey Clifford, Sarah Bern, Lilli Ives Campion, Maddie Feaunati, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison, Helena Rowland.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Finally, a test for England. The USA were well below par, Samoa were never going to provide a challenge, so here we are. The Wallaroos are a proper side, one that should have beaten the Eagles last week. Can they cause a seismic upset?
I doubt it, but this will at least give John Mitchell’s team a bit of a tune up ahead of the quarterfinals.
England’s Jess Breach has provided some great lines and wants her teammates to adopt a “predator” mindset. They’ve consumed just about every team they’ve faced over the past four years but don’t have a World Cup crown to show for their dominance.
Some ruthlessness would go down well before the business end of the tournament and what better way to stamp their authority than with a crushing win this evening?
Things get rolling at 5pm BST.
Teams and other bits to come.
