The RFU have announced England Women will be hosting the Black Ferns twice this year as part of their autumn international schedule, with matches against Canada and USA to follow in November.
It will be the first time since the 2019 Super Series in San Diego that England will face the reigning world champions, after Simon Middleton’s team claimed the No.1 world ranking last November en route to a third-straight Six Nations Grand Slam.
Match dates, kick-off times, venues, ticket and broadcast details are still to be confirmed and will be communicated in due course, according to the RFU. But all eyes will be fixed on England taking on next year’s World Cup host nation and reigning champions, New Zealand.
“Any series of games where you get to pit yourselves against the top teams in the world is going to be great,” said head coach Middleton.
“We haven’t played any of these teams since the Super Series in 2019 and I thought the standard of rugby and the closeness of the games in that competition showed just how hugely competitive this series is likely to be.
“No team won all four games in that Super Series so to now be able to play against three of the top six ranked teams in the world is something to look forward to and a great opportunity.
“We haven’t played New Zealand in back-to-back matches since 2013. These games are always really intriguing, you have to react to what happened in the first, there’s a little bit of countering what one team does, it’s a bit of a chess game so that’ll be brilliant.
“All matches will give each team a marker of where they are and where they need to go in terms of World Cup preparations which is hugely important and exciting for all.
“It goes without saying that this series provides the perfect opportunity for individuals to display their World Cup credentials and stake an early claim for a place in what will be the most competitive squad selection we will have made since the 2017 World Cup.”
Both of Canada and USA’s current squads feature a number of Allianz Premier 15s stars including Exeter Chiefs’ American quartet Gabby Cantorna, Jennine Duncan, Rachel Johnson and Kate Zackary and Canada’s Mackenzie Carson, Alexandria Ellis (both Saracens) and Daleaka Menin (Exeter Chiefs).
England Women 2021 autumn international schedule
October 29-31: England v New Zealand
November 5-7: England v New Zealand
November 12-14: England v Canada
November 19-21: England v USA