Black Ferns face England in major Twickenham test match

The Black Ferns will face England at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Sunday at 3am NZT. The match is part of the WXV Global Series and marks the first meeting between the sides in nearly two years. More than 50,000 fans are expected to attend the match.

New Zealand enters the match with a perfect 2026 record of seven wins from seven tests. The Black Ferns are seeking an eighth consecutive victory under coach Whitney Hansen. England, the reigning World Cup champions, are currently on a 40-test unbeaten streak. However, England's 39-match winning run was recently ended by a 26-26 draw against Canada in Exeter.

The Black Ferns will welcome back three players returning from injury: Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, and Laura Bayfield. Hannah King will start at first-five, deputising for injured co-captain Ruahei Demant. England coach John Mitchell has made three changes to his starting XV, all in the forwards.

Black Ferns captain Georgia Ponsonby said the team is excited to test themselves against the best team in the world. Coach Whitney Hansen stated the team is striving for "what great looks like in a performance".

Where reports differ

• Reports vary on the expected crowd size, with one citing more than 50,000 and another more than 55,000.

Compiled from reports by The Post, RNZ, Newsroom, Stuff and 1News.