Pool A
LONDON (AP) — England
World ranking: 1
Captain: Zoe Aldcroft
Coach: John Mitchell
Best finish: Champion 1994, 2014
Prospects: The team to beat. Won 57 of its last 58 tests, and the last 27, many of them blowouts. The one blip was the 2022 final in Auckland, where England overcame an 18th-minute red card to lead New Zealand until the 71st minute. England lost 34-31. The Red Roses have lost only seven times in RWC history, six of them to New Zealand, five of those in finals. Eight of the squad have never lost a test and don't have RWC baggage. Center Emily Scarratt will appear in a record-tying fifth RWC.
Australia
World ranking: 6
Captain: Siokapesi Palu
Coach: Jo Yapp
Best finish: Semifinals 2010
Prospects: The game against the U.S. on Aug. 30 will likely decide the pool's second quarterfinalist. The Wallaroos beat the U.S. 27-19 in May in Canberra, one of only three wins in seven tests this year. Only Tia Hinds from the champion sevens side has reached the RWC. The squad also includes the youngest Wallaroos in tournament history, all backs: Waiaria Ellis (17), Caitlyn Halse (18) and Manu'a Moleka (18), who joins older sister Faitala. Ex-England captain Jo Yapp coached Australia to its first ever silverware, the WXV 2 in 2024, but is stepping down for family reasons after the RWC.
United States
World ranking: 10
Captain: Kate Zackary
Coach: Sione Fukofuka
Best finish: Champion 1991
Prospects: A 34-21 win over Fiji in Washington in front of a U.S.-record 15,000 fans last month ended a nearly year-long winless run. Back-rower Kate Zackary, captain since 2018, leads the Eagles at a second straight RWC. Loosehead prop Hope Rogers, the most capped Eagle, will appear at her fourth RWC. Center Ilona Maher, the most followed rugby player on social media with 8.7 million fans, returns to England where she made a big impact during a three-month stint with Bristol Bears this year.
Samoa
World ranking: 15
Captain: Sui Tauaua-Pauaraisa
Coach: Ramsey Tomokino
Best finish: 9th 2002
Prospects: For the Manusina's first RWC appearance in 11 years, preparation has been hampered by a lack of matches and players unavailable. Their worry is not having faced the intensity of tier one teams before playing three of them in 15 days. Captain and lock Sui Tauaua-Pauaraisa, who will be 38 in October, is one of their greats; she's represented Samoa in 15s, sevens and rugby league and New Zealand in rugby league.
Pool B
Canada
World ranking: 2
Captain: Alexandra Tessier
Coach: Kevin Rouet
Best finish: Final 2014
Prospects: A second RWC final. Brimming with confidence. Unbeaten in seven tests this year, including a 27-27 draw in New Zealand. Has 21 players back from the 2022 RWC and includes six Paris Olympics sevens silver medalists. Midfielder Alexandra Tessier, a world player of 2024 nominee, took over the captaincy after goalkicking No. 8 Sophie de Goede, another former world player nominee, tore her ACL. De Goede returned in July after 13 months out. Canada has won 16 of its 22 matches since the last RWC, including wins over New Zealand and France. Says back-rower Fabiola Forteza of their RWC preparedness, “We feel ready.”
Scotland
World ranking: 8
Captain: Rachel Malcolm
Coach: Bryan Easson
Best finish: Quarterfinals 1994, 1998
Prospects: The pool game with Wales on Saturday in Manchester looks set to decide whether Scotland reaches its first quarterfinals in 27 years. First-choice hookers Lana Skeldon and Elis Martin turned up at the squad announcement on crutches but are expected to be fit. Lock Emma Wassell made an inspiring comeback in July after two surgeries to remove a benign tumor in her chest. Captain Rachel Malcolm says they're motivated to do well for Bryan Easson, the coach since 2020 who is leaving after the RWC.
Wales
World ranking: 9
Co-captains: Alex Callender, Kate Williams
Coach: Sean Lynn
Best finish: Semifinals 1994
Prospects: The historic first test win in Australia on July 25 in Brisbane can't be understated. It followed Wales' first Six Nations whitewash and was the first win under coach Sean Lynn, who took over in January. Wales lost the second match in Sydney but it finally had signs of progress and encouragement after a tumultuous winter regarding contract negotiations that threatened Wales' withdrawal from the RWC. The squad has two pairs of sisters from the same club, including uncapped Wales Under-20 captain Branwen Metcalfe, and hooker Carys Phillips reaching her fourth RWC.
Fiji
World ranking: 14
Captain: Alfreda Fisher
Coach: Ioan Cunningham
Best finish: 9th 2022
Prospects: Fiji made its RWC debut in 2022, beat South Africa, and missed out on a quarterfinal spot on points difference. Ioan Cunningham was appointed the Fijiana coach in February, three months after resigning from leading Wales, which he improved. He's happy with the strides made by Fijiana in four matches since May, including a historic first visit by Australia and first test with the U.S. Flanker Alfreda Fisher became Fijiana's youngest captain at 20 and back Adi Salote Nailolo has come out of the new local Na Soko women's competition.
Pool C
New Zealand
World ranking: 3
Co-captains: Ruahei Demant, Kennedy Tukuafu
Coach: Allan Bunting
Best finish: Champion 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2022
Prospects: Only the trophy marks a successful RWC for the perennial champion. The Black Ferns won't give it up easily. The great Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has come out of retirement, Kelly Brazier has come out of the cold for a fourth RWC, sevens stars Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane have been co-opted, and 18-year-old fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee appears to be a star in the making. But following the 2022 RWC final victory against England, the Black Ferns have lost all three matches to the Red Roses by a combined score of 106-55.
Ireland
World ranking: 5
Co-Captains: Edel McMahon, Sam Monaghan
Coach: Scott Bemand
Best finish: Semifinals 2014
Prospects: Ireland admits missing out on 2022 lit a fire to get back. It qualified at the 2024 Six Nations. The Irish are led by No. 8 Aoife Wafer, voted the Six Nations' best player, and center Aoife Dalton, voted Ireland's best player. They include uncapped under-20s hooker Beth Buttimer and prop Ellena Perry, who played 11 times for England to 2020 and switched teams thanks to an Irish maternal grandfather. She debuted in their last warmup, a loss to Canada in Belfast.
Japan
World ranking: 11
Captain: Iroha Nagata
Coach: Lesley McKenzie
Best finish: Quarterfinals 1994
Prospects: Not good for New Zealand. Japan has never been drawn in a pool containing the eventual champion. The Sakura Fifteen followed their longest winless streak — seven tests — with a five-match winning run until this month when they lost to Italy in their last warmup in Calvisano. The wins included a first against the U.S. and two at home against Spain, also a pool opponent on Sept. 7. Japan is relatively experienced; only three players have less than 10 caps.
Spain
World ranking: 13
Captain: Laura Delgado
Coach: Juan Gonzalez Marruecos
Best finish: Quarterfinals 1998, 8th 2002
Prospects: Las Leonas won at least one match in their previous six RWC appearances, and their goal is one win in this RWC. They beat Fiji in the 2024 WXV 3 final to qualify. While they missed the 2022 RWC, they still have four players from the 2014 tournament, including prop and captain Laura Delgado. Fullback Claudia Peña is considered the team's budding star at 20. The Spaniards were farewelled by original 1991 RWC players in a rousing sendoff.
Pool D
France
World ranking: 4
Co-captains: Marine Ménager, Manaé Feleu
Co-coaches: Gaëlle Mignot, David Ortiz
Best finish: Semifinals 1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2022
Prospects: Les Bleues should ease through the tournament until the semifinals when they will likely run into England. Their last warmup was a 40-6 hiding from England in Mont-de-Marsan; a 16th straight loss to England and the biggest defeat in the contest since 2009. France's stars are backs, Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Gabrielle Vernier, and to boost a pack that was overwhelmed by England they have introduced prop Makarita Baleinadogo after Ambre Mwayembe broke her ankle, and back-rowers Marie Morland and Khoudedia Cissokho.
Italy
World ranking: 7
Captain: Elisa Giordano
Coach: Fabio Roselli
Best finish: Quarterfinals 2022
Prospects: A team that should stay poised under pressure. Eleven players have more than 50 caps, led by back Sofia Stefan’s 98. Ten players are going to their third RWC. Keep an eye on center-wing Alyssa D’Inca, a threat since last year who scored four tries across the Azzurre's warmup wins over Scotland and Japan.
South Africa
World ranking: 12
Captain: Nolusindiso Booi
Coach: Swys de Bruin
Best finish: 10th 2010, 2014
Prospects: The most capped women's Springbok, lock Nolusindiso Booi, captains them at a second RWC and her fourth overall. South Africa prepared at home with two hidings from Canada and shared spoils with a Black Ferns XV. Winning the second match 41-24 in Cape Town this month heartened coach Swys de Bruin, who believed his Boks delivered what he hoped to see.
Brazil
World ranking: 25
Captain: Eshyllen Coimbra
Coach: Emiliano Caffera
Best finish: Debut
Prospects: Brazil played its first test in 2008 then not another one for 11 years. As Yaras, named for a female warrior in myth, earned their first test win in 2023 and beat Colombia for the first time in 2024 to qualify for the RWC. They earned their fifth ever win in their 17th test and first over the Netherlands by 22-0 last month. It's no surprise that 11 of the squad are also sevens players. Brazilian rugby was accelerated by hosting the 2016 Olympics and the team has made every Games since. The 15s captain, Raquel Kochhann, recovered from breast cancer and was Brazil's flagbearer in the 2024 Paris Games.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Foster Niumata, The Associated Press
