Sports
Women’s Rugby World Cup: Red Roses unchanged for final vs Canada at Twickenham as Ellie Kildunne passed fit | Rugby Union News
England head coach John Mitchell has named an unchanged squad for Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada, with star full-back Ellie Kildunne passed fit to play.
Having missed the quarter-final victory over Scotland, Kildunne (concussion) and loosehead prop Hannah Botterman (back spasm) returned last time weekend for England’s semi-final win over France, only for the former to limp off in Bristol late on.
Kildunne has overcome her leg complaint to start again, however, as the Red Roses get ready to host Canada in Saturday’s World Cup final at a sold-out Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Wings Abby Dow and Jess Breach combine with Kildunne for the back-three, while the midfield remains Megan Jones and Tatyana Heard, and half-backs Zoe Harrison and Natasha Hunt.
Into the forwards, Botterman showed no ill effects on her return and starts with hooker Amy Cokayne and tighthead Maud Muir to form the front-row, with the second row pairing Morwenna Talling and Abbie Ward.
Zoe Aldcroft captains the side from blindside flanker, with openside Sadia Kabeya and No 8 Alex Matthews completing the back-row.
As has been the case throughout the whole tournament, England’s replacements bench is stacked with quality and depth.
Lark Atkin-Davies, Kelsey Clifford and Sarah Bern provide front-row cover, Rosie Galligan and Maddie Feaunati are the second row and back-row replacements respectively, with scrum-half Lucy Packer and back options Holly Aitchison and Helena Rowland rounding out the 23.
“Our staff and players have worked hard to reach this stage of the tournament,” Mitchell said on Thursday.
“Playing a World Cup final at Allianz Stadium in front of a record 82,000 is a significant milestone for the sport.
“We are well prepared for the challenge against Canada. It is number one versus number two in the world, and we know the contest will demand a full 80 minutes. Our focus remains on staying in our process and executing effectively.”
Red Roses: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Abbie Ward, 6 Zoe Aldcroft (c), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Alex Matthews.
Replacements: 16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Kelsey Clifford, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Rosie Galligan, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Helena Rowland.
What’s next?
England’s Red Roses will host Canada in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday September 27 (4pm kick-off).
France will face defending champions New Zealand earlier on the same day in the Bronze final at Twickenham (12.30pm).
Sports
Tottenham Target Savinho Tells Man City He Wants to Leave
Tottenham have landed their biggest Savinho transfer boost yet as they look to snap up the Manchester City attacker this summer. Spurs have been on a transfer tear up this summer, racking up a £237million spending bill so far, and they are not done yet.
Roberto De Zerbi was handed major upgrades to his defence and midfield, including Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke for the defence and Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali for the midfield. It’s clear Tottenham’s squad has been improved, but there are still some gaps.
De Zerbi will now want to improve his front line, and he is to get the money to do it. The North London club are now working on attacking recruits, with a winger signing the priority, while a striker could also be signed, although that will likely depend on the right option becoming available and potential departures.
Tottenham handed major Savinho transfer boost
Tottenham have been handed a major boost in their bid to land Manchester City wideman Savinho, with the player now reportedly asking to leave the Etihad Stadium.
That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has posted on X: “EXCL: Savinho informs Manchester City about his desire to leave this summer. Savio wants to play more and develop in his career, #MCFC have been informed by the winger. All in Man City hands now. Tottenham have Savinho on top of their list as revealed since May.”
Savinho has not been a regular starter at City, and while there is a new manager in town in Enzo Maresca, it doesn’t appear as though he is going to be a starter for the coming season. The 22-year-old is going to want to play week-in, week-out to ensure maximises his potential, as he was showing at Girona previously, and Tottenham can likely offer that kind of role. The question now is whether City will allow him to leave without a replacement, and indeed whether they will offer a price that Tottenham are willing to pay on the back of an already huge spending bill.
Guardiola was a big fan of Savinho
Now former City boss Guardiola was actually a big fan of Savinho’s even if he didn’t offer him regular starts due to the more senior options he had at his disposal. The Spaniard said in 2025: “Savinho in the moment will make it click in the final third, the goal for example. His numbers for goals and assists last season – Savinho created a lot, and in the final third, [he needs to] be active in the right moment. The moment he does that, he’s young, he will be a top-class player.”
“He created a lot against Huddersfield and for me, analyse what they do, the body language, it doesn’t matter. He will make this step – it will come. Savinho will be a top player for Man City.”
Guardiola later added: “[He had a] good impact. He can play on both sides. On the left, he has incredible quality and can attack the byline. After that he is really good at the crosses. He will help Erling to score goals. Look at the goal we scored, byline and cross.”
Sports
Arsenal Eyeing Move to Sign Antonio Nusa
Arsenal have made RB Leipzig star Antonio Nusa their top target for the left wing in case they fail in their bid for Vinicius Jr, according to Caught Offside.
The Gunners have made an ambitious move to bring in the Brazil international in this window, with the Real Madrid superstar entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Bernabeu and no agreement on an extension in sight.
Reports have suggested that Vinicius Jr would prefer to stay in Madrid, and that Los Blancos want to extend his deal, but they also don’t want to lose him for nothing, and that has opened the door for the Premier League champions to potentially get a deal done.
A first official offer is understood to be ready, but Arsenal know that the likeliest outcome at this stage is that Vini Jr stays where he is, and that has seen the come put together a shortlist of alternative targets for that scenario.
Arsenal Eyeing Antonio Nusa
Nusa, who has been compared to Brazil legend Neymar, shone at the World Cup this summer while featuring for Norway, as they reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by England in extra-time.
But the 21-year-old impressed with his incredible speed, close control and dribbling ability, and Arsenal chiefs are understood to have put him right at the top of their shortlist of alternatives as a result.
The Gunners are planning to explore what RB Leipzig’s demands are before pushing ahead with a move, and reports have suggested that they could ask for as much as £51m to allow him to move on.
While Vini Jr is still considered to be the dream target, with the club ready to offer him a record contract to get him to move to London, the club are ensuring that they are not left short later in the window and scrambling for an addition if it doesn’t go their way.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Nusa an Ideal Blend for Arsenal
Arsenal are preparing their squad to win again, having won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final last season. But they also want to ensure they remain competitive for years to come, and this is the type of signing that can help that.
Nusa is only 21, so still has plenty of room to grow, develop and improve with regular game time and added coaching. But having watched him at the World Cup, it’s clear that he is also ready and capable of making an immediate impact at the Emirates Stadium.
He’s not as good as Vini Jr, and he may never be, but he is still a top, top winger with a huge future ahead of him, and Arsenal would be very smart to get this deal done if they miss out on their top target.
Sports
Tottenham Eyeing Move to Sign Liverpool Star Gakpo Alongside Savinho
Tottenham Hotspur have made Savinho their top transfer target to bolster their attack, but he’s not the only one they want to sign, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Spurs have had an incredible summer transfer window already, bringing in Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali following two consecutive 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League, and manager Roberto De Zerbi has already declared that he wants new forwards before the season begins.
The club are understood to be working hard on a deal to bring in Man City winger Savinho, who has formally asked to leave the Etihad, but it has now been revealed that the north London club are looking at another player to come in alongside him.
Romano: Keep an Eye on Gakpo to Spurs
Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Romano has revealed that Tottenham are eyeing a move for Liverpool star Cody Gakpo this summer.
Gakpo, who earns around £250,000-a-week at Anfield, has emerged as someone that the Reds could sell in order to fund a deal to sign top target Bradley Barcola during this window. Spurs have been linked with a move for the Netherlands international, and while Savinho remains the top target, it has now emerged that Gakpo is one to “keep an eye on.”
“In a separate story [to Savinho], because I expect Tottenham to sign two players, I would still keep an eye on Tottenham and Cody Gakpo, because he’s another player they like,” he said.
“So let’s see what is going to happen there, if Liverpool are going to open doors or not, but for sure, there will be many movements for wingers at Tottenham.”
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Tottenham Going Big This Summer
Tottenham have already had a very busy window, but the fact that everyone knows there is more to come shows that the owners and manager are being very ambitious about their plans for the upcoming campaign.
In attack they are currently light. Richarlison’s future is up in the air, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are recovering from serious knee injuries, and Dejan Kulusevski hasn’t played since the 2024/25 season due to a mysterious knee problem of his own. Add to that the fact Randal Kolo Muani has left, and it’s clear they need more than just one signing.
Gakpo would arrive as someone with experience at the very highest level, including in the Premier League, and could prove to be a shrewd bit of busines if they can get it over the line.
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