If England are not mentally right in Auckland, they will find out that sport does not care about their record run of victories
This time next week we will know whether English rugby’s most successful side have managed to do what is expected and bring home the women’s Rugby World Cup 2021.
If they do, many will say it is as it should be, given they are professionals competing against less professional teams. If they do not, it will give comfort for the still too large fraternity who resent money being invested in a side of the game they will never rate.
The reality is that England should and must win for all manner of reasons.
Let us take the playing side first. Their opponents, New Zealand’s Black Ferns, lost twice and heavily to England last year. Since then, the advent of Wayne Smith as their head coach has seen seismic improvements in their performances, but they still do not have the all-round quality of England.