Red Roses jostle for position as Lionesses hand on baton

England vs. Spain warm-up for the Rugby World Cup

Location: Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Saturday, August 2nd Kick-off: 00 BST

A new three-part drill, a hop, a step, and a strike, has been practiced by the Red Roses since this week’s training.

However, Chloe Kelly’s distinctive penalty technique isn’t applicable to everyone.

Head coach John Mitchell chuckles at his players’ attempts to imitate the England international who won the Euros. “Some are better than others.

“Those kinds of things are adored by the girls.” We’ll probably have to stop because we don’t want to hurt anyone.

Similar to last weekend’s final between Kelly and her team-mates, England will face Spain on Saturday.

However, there will be no shootout stress due to the pressure.

Spain is ranked 13th worldwide. One Test matchup between South Africa and two against Japan has been lost by them in their previous three games. In the 2017 Rugby World Cup pool stages, England and them last faced off with a 10-try thrashing 56-5.

In the PWR, a group of Las Leonas compete: Ealing Trailfinders prop Cristina Blanco, Sale Sharks back row Alba Capell, and Harlequins back Claudia Pena.

Amalia Argudo, a Toulouse flyhalf, was a key player in the team that reached France’s Elite 1 final earlier this year.

However, they will lack the depth and quality to provide significant resistance to the female game’s queenpins.

Instead, internal battles will primarily be in the air.

To maximize Red Roses’ preparation for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, the English domestic season from 2024 to 2025 was condensed, with the final taking place three months earlier than usual.

This warm-up against Spain follows their first training camp by two months.

They have spent a lot of time in Treviso and fought back with all of their might to gain an edge.

Over one another as well as the rest of the world.

Players outside the 32-strong squad have a chance to advance toward the center of Mitchell’s planning with the meeting with Spain.

Holly Aitchison and Zoe Harrison are in line for the top spot in the 10th grade. In the World Cup final defeat by New Zealand three years ago, Lucy Packer, England’s starting nine, is attempting to unseat Natasha Hunt.

With hooker May Campbell, the PWR’s top try-scorer last season, Hannah Botterman and Maud Muir serving as backups to Kelsey Clifford, Lark Atkin-Davies, and Sarah Bern, there is Springbok-style strength in the front-row.

As Jess Breach tries to edge ahead of Claudia Moloney-McDonald and Helena Rowland, a sublimely talented footballer looking for a secure backline spot, and try her hand wide, there is intrigue on the wing.

As she earns her third cap, centre Jade Shekells will attempt to enter the midfield. Gloucester-Hartpury has a great team, but Emma Sing’s hardest job is keeping Ellie Kildunne’s full-back spot warm.

The clock is also present in the background for all of them.

A baton has been passed in response to the celebrations of football, whose canapes and tickertape have barely been removed. Next weekend’s final warm-up for England and France will be over.

On August 22 and 23, the United States will host a Rugby World Cup opener.

The team captain, Marlie Packer, is aiming high against Spain.

She has previously won the World Cup.

Women footballers in England sat down to cheer Packer and her team-mates, who were all amateurs, to a final victory over Canada back in 2014 as they prepared for a qualifier against Wales.

A Red Roses victory at home on the field, as professionals, at a sold-out Allianz Stadium would be far greater than that.

Packer remarked, “We have to go and do it now;”

We want to inspire both the nation and the football players, much like how the footballers have inspired us.

The way we play and who we want to be can influence how women’s rugby is perceived.