Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) Captains - Scotland, Rachel Malcolm - Japan, Saki Minami - Australia, Shannon Perry - Wales, Siwan Lillicrap - France, Gaelle Hermet - England Sarah Hunter - New Zealand, Kennedy Simon - Fiji, Sereima Leweniqila - South Africa, Nolusindiso Booi - USA, Kate Zackary - Canada, Sophie de Goede - Italy, Elisa Giordano. Photo: Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
New Zealand, France, Canada and England are the last teams still standing after the first ever quarterfinals at a women's Rugby World Cup.
All four nations have played in world cup semi-finals before but France is the only team never to have made it to a final.
For Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Simon securing a semi-final berth at a home world cup is nearly as good as it gets.
"It's an extreme privilege, we've got a huge legacy that we're trying to uphold and to enhance so to get through to the next phase of the campaign is pretty awesome."
It was a sentiment echoed by Black Ferns loose forward Sarah Hirini who had played in pinnacle events all around the world but noted a return to Eden Park against France on Saturday would be special.
"The occassion won't get any bigger and I'm so proud to be able to represent our country and I know the fans will keep turning up for us," Hirini said.
England captain Sarah Hunter has been to the semi-finals of a Rugby World Cup before. Photo: Hannah Peters
England have never failed to reach a world cup semi-final and Red Roses captain Sarah Hunter said the tournament favourites were ready for the next challenge after a 41-5 win over Australia in the quarterfinals.
"In my experience with my previous world cups it's the toughest pool we've ever had to try and get out of. We've had to fight and we've had to problem solve and we've had to dig deep at times but I think that will set us up nicely for whatever we get in the semi-final," Hunter said.
The Black Ferns' path to the semi-finals included big wins over Australia and Scotland and two victories over Wales.
On recent form, the game against France would be more challenging.
France had finished inside the top four at the past five world cups but New Zealand did not play them at the last tournament in 2017.
The Black Ferns played France in 2021 on a Northern Tour that didn't end well for the New Zealanders. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Record try-scorer Portia Woodman believed the Black Ferns were now more competitive than the last time they met France.
"Last year when we played them we lost two them and two games to England, we had bugger all rugby under our belt, but fast-forward from then to now the girls have had [Pacific Four Nations], they've had Laurie O'Reilly and now three pool games and a quarterfinal at a world cup so it is a lot more games than we had at the end of last year so no doubt it is going to be a hard game against France, they're a big defensive team, they're physical upfront and we've got to bring it too."
Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith was not in charge last year, however he understood his side wanted revenge.
"There's pride at stake I think, we'll have a good week preparing for this but from what I've seen from them they're extremely efficient, do things well and they've got some good players so it's going to be a battle."
France beat Italy 39-3 in the first quarterfinal in Whangarei to set-up the meeting with the Black Ferns.
Alex Tessier of Canada. Photo: Hannah Peters/World Rugby
Canada are into the semi-finals for the fifth time in their history following a 32-11 win over the USA.
England and Canada meet in the first semi-final on at Eden Park on Saturday followed by the Black Ferns game against France.
