Shropshire Star

We will find ‘a little bit extra’ for World Cup final, says England’s Scarratt

England have been beaten by New Zealand three times in World Cup finals.

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Emily Scarratt believes England’s class of 2017 is “right up there” with the team that was crowned world champions three years ago.

England will retain the Women’s Rugby World Cup if they beat four-time winners New Zealand in Belfast on Saturday.

They also go into battle with the Black Ferns having toppled them in New Zealand earlier this summer, although three previous World Cup final meetings – 2002, 2006 and 2010 – all saw England defeated.

Lichfield centre Scarratt, who could be switched to full-back if Danielle Waterman does not recover in time after failing a head injury assessment during Tuesday’s absorbing semi-final victory over France, starred in England’s 2014 triumph, scoring 16 points as Canada were downed 21-9.

“It’s right up there,” said Scarratt, when asked to compare the England sides.

“We have got some unbelievable players that kind of culminate in a great team, and it was similar in 2014 I think.

“The game has moved on such a long way in three years. It is an amazing team, we’ve got an amazing culture and we have got one more game.”

Fourteen of the line-up that accounted for New Zealand in June started against France – prop Vicki Cornborough was the exception – and that experience will be priceless amid a pressure-cooker Kingspan Stadium atmosphere.

England also have to dust themselves down from a bruising 20-3 victory over France, but Scarratt added: “When it’s the World Cup final, you find a little bit extra, don’t you?

“It is what we have been working towards this whole year. We want to come away as world champions, and that game now is the only thing that stands in our way.

“We will recover well, and there probably won’t be a huge amount of training that goes on. All the work is now done – it’s about recovery and going through the mental steps and figuring out what we need to do against a great side like New Zealand.

“We try to take emotion out of it. It’s about process, as boring as that sounds, it’s about what we know we can do, the steps that we go through and all of that sort of stuff.

“I am sure emotions will be high – it is the World Cup final. We just hope that we rise to it again. It is going to be an unbelievable Test match to become world champions, and it shouldn’t be any other way.”

Emily Scarratt will continue kicking goals for England
Emily Scarratt will continue kicking goals for England (Donall Farmer/PA)

Scarratt, meanwhile, will continue to relish the role of being England goalkicker, despite a World Cup tournament that has not gone her way off the kicking tee.

“It has been well-documented that I haven’t been kicking that well in this tournament,” she said.

“I am very aware of that, and luckily it hasn’t mattered in games up to now, but it did in the semi-final and it certainly will do in the next game, so it’s just keeping my head down and trying to keep the confidence high with it.”

England full-back Danielle Waterman has been ruled out of the Women’s Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday.

The 32-year-old was taken off during the first half of Tuesday’s semi-final victory over France in Belfast.

She will now miss the Black Ferns clash at Kingspan Stadium after suffering a concussion, the Rugby Football Union said.

Waterman, who has won 74 caps and been among England’s most consistent players over a number of seasons, could be replaced by Emily Scarratt, if head coach Simon Middleton decides to move Scarratt from midfield.

“It is disappointing to lose Danielle ahead of the final,” Middleton said.

“She has delivered outstanding performances throughout the tournament and has been a highly-valued member of the squad.

“However, we have a number of strong options available to us as we begin preparing for Saturday’s final against New Zealand.”

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