Middleton is desperate to avenge England’s defeat five years ago
Simon Middleton, the England head coach, wants to avoid the “desperate feeling” of losing Saturday’s World Cup final to New Zealand, but says the pressure on his Red Roses side is “huge”.
After battling past a courageous Canadian outfit, England will attempt to avenge their 2017 World Cup final heartache this weekend at Eden Park, where a world-record crowd for a standalone women’s international is expected.
Organisers reported an unprecedented ticket frenzy among New Zealanders, with more than 8,000 sold in the hours after the Black Ferns’ nerve-shredding victory over France as the tournament hosts secured a fairy-tale home final.
There will be a dizzying sense of deja vu for Middleton, who led the Red Roses to the 2017 finale when they were beaten 41-32 by the Black Ferns in Belfast. England led New Zealand by seven points at half-time, before the Black Ferns dominated the second half to be crowned champions for a record fifth time.