Preview: Women's RWC, Day Two

Women's Rugby World Cup 2010 will continue on Tuesday with the second round of pool matches at Surrey Sports Park all set to get underway.

Day One saw New Zealand, USA and Canada top their respective groups as the holders romped to a 55-3 win over South Africa, USA looked good in a 51-0 drubbing of Kazakhstan while Canada impressed in a 37-10 victory over Scotland.

So with all twelve squads now announced for Day Two, we take a look at the matches and for some it is already make or break time.

Pools:

A: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales
B: England, Ireland, Kazakhstan, USA
C: Canada, France, Scotland, Sweden

Fixtures -
Pool A
24 Aug, 12:00 - Wales v South Africa
24 Aug, 16:15 - New Zealand v Australia
28 Aug, 14:00 -New Zealand v Wales
28 Aug, 16:15 - Australia v South Africa

Pool B
24 Aug, 16:30 - USA v Ireland
24 Aug, 18:30 - England v Kazakhstan
28 Aug, 16:30 - Ireland v Kazakhstan
28 Aug, 18:30 - England v USA

Pool C
24 Aug, 14:00 - France v Scotland
24 Aug, 14:15 - Canada v Sweden
28 Aug, 12:00 - Scotland v Sweden
28 Aug, 14:15 - France v Canada

POOL A

It's the battle of the world champions in Pool A as three-time defending champions New Zealand take on RWC Sevens winners Australia. With a touch of Tri-Nations rivalry, this is certainly one of the standout matches of day two.

Both sides are unbeaten after the first round of matches, with the Black Ferns scoring nine tries in a 55-3 victory over South Africa - including the tournament's first hat-trick from wing Carla Hohepa.

Australia beat Wales 26-12 and scored a late fourth try through Tricia Brown to secure what could be a crucial bonus point and will be hoping to draw on their Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 final victory over New Zealand for inspiration.

Wallaroos coach John Manenti has made seven changes for the trans-Tasman showdown, with Australia Sevens Player of the Year 2009 and IRB Women's Personality of the Year Debby Hodgkinson starting at number eight with captain Cheryl Soon replacing Ili Batibasaga at scrum-half.

Tobie McGann completes a new half-back pairing as she replaces the injured fly half Tui Ormsby, who suffered a fractured eye socket against Wales, and she firmly believes that their Sevens triumph could provide the spark to beat the Black Ferns for the first time.

"To be honest Sevens and Fifteens are very different games but we do have a winning culture now amongst our team," said McGann.

"Before we've always had to battle the hoodoo of New Zealand and never being able to beat them but now there's that core group of players in our team now who have beaten them and tasted victory in a World Cup."

A new combination in the centres sees Cheyenne Campbell, a cousin of Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper, start alongside Sharni Williams, while Se'ei Sa'u has been brought in to strengthen the Wallaroos' front row at the expense of prop Caroline Vakalahi.

In the other Pool A match Wales and South Africa get the day's action underway on Pitch 2 at 12:00 local time and coach Denver Wannies will be looking for a response from his side after their loss to the Black Ferns. He makes just one change with Charmaine Kayser starting on the left wing in place of Phumeza Gadu.

Wales counterpart Jason Lewis has the task of building on his team's encouraging display against the Wallaroos and makes four changes with wing Caryl James and centre Ceri Redman replacing Elen Evans and Clare Flowers respectively.

Caryl Thomas comes in for Jennifer Davies at prop, while hooker Lowri Harries gets the nod ahead of Rhian Bowden after scoring on her debut in Wales' opening match of the tournament.

"We've got a game plan for the South African game and we have to stick to it. I can't see any reason why we can't get our campaign back on track with a victory against South Africa," said Redman.

POOL B

England coach Gary Street makes 11 changes from the starting line up which registered an impressive 27-0 opening day win over Ireland and the hosts will be looking to take another step towards semi final qualification when they take on Kazakhstan at 18:30 local time on Pitch 1.

Captain Catherine Spencer is among those rested, passing the armband to fly half Katy McLean, while second row Becky Essex, McLean, Heather Fisher, Fiona Pocock and centre Rachael Burford are the only players set to start their second successive match.

Charlotte Barras returns having missed the entire RBS Women's Six Nations through injury, while Michaela Staniford gets her first start after her late call up to the squad following Claire Allan's knee injury which forced her out of the tournament.

"Kazakhstan are a team we have had little experience of but we do know they will be very physical. They are a hard working side with some very talented Sevens players so we know it is vital to play to our potential ahead of this tough and busy week of rugby," said Street.

In their opening match of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2010, Kazakhstan went down to a 51-0 defeat to the USA and coach Valeriy Popov makes seven changes to his starting line-up, including the selection of 47-year-old Olga Rudoy in the second row at what is her fifth tournament.

In the other Pool B match Irish number eight Joy Neville will win her 50th cap against the USA with coach Philip Doyle keeping faith with the same starting XV, although Chris Fanning and Caroline Mahon replace Yvonne Nolan and Carol Staunton on the replacements' bench.

"Our application was good against England but we will work on recognising our chances and taking them for this game," said Doyle.

The USA, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their victory over Kazakhstan, which saw fly half Christy Ringgebberg in sensational form on her way to amassing a 26-point haul, including two tries.

They will also be hoping for a repeat of the result when the two sides met at the Women's Rugby World Cup in Canada four years ago, when the Women's Eagles came out on top 24-11.

Kathy Flores makes eight changes, including Maurin Wallace starting at hooker in place of Lisa Butts and Vanesha McGee replacing Nathalie Marchino on the wing.

POOL C

A repeat of their last gasp 10-8 win over France in the RBS Women's Six Nations win would do nicely for Scotland as they look to bounce back from their opening day 37-10 defeat to Canada.

Scotland won 10-8 at Lasswade earlier this year thanks to Lucy Millard's last gasp try, and will need a similar outcome if they are to keep their Rugby World Cup dream alive.

The game kicks off at 14:00 local time on Pitch 1, with Scotland's Donna Kennedy set to win her 112th cap. Scotland coach Gary Parker brings flanker Ruth Slaven into the starting XV from the bench, while Lynsey Douglas comes into the line-up at centre.

"What happened in February means nothing now. We've improved, particularly in our fitness levels, since then. And I'd expect France, who were run close by Sweden in their opening pool game, will be making changes for our match," said Parker.

France overcame Sweden in the first round, but needed a try from Claire Canal 12 minutes from time to ensure a 15-9 victory.

They make six changes to their starting line-up to face Scotland, with coach Christian Galonnier ringing the changes. Gaelle Mignot, Celine Barthelemy, Clemence Audebert, Amandine Vaupre, Aurelie Bailon, Caroline Ladagnous all make their first starts.

In the other match in Pool C, Canada will be taking nothing for granted when they face Sweden on Pitch 2 at 14:15 local time, but will look to build on their 37-10 bonus point victory over Scotland in the opening match of WRWC 2010.

"I think the best thing for us was what a great match Sweden and France had, and there's just no way we can walk into either of those games assuming anything," said Canada captain Leslie Cripps.

After an heroic performance against France, Sweden coach Jonas Ahl will be relieved that star fly half and captain Ulrika Andersson-Hall is fit to face Canada after scoring all of her side's points in that macth.

Ahl makes eight changes for the match with Canada, with six of those coming in the forwards. Sweden will field an entirely new front and second row combinations, with Susanne Olovsson, Erica Engstorm Storckenfeldt, Viktoria Svangren and Anna Larsson coming in.

There's a change at flanker in Jesscia Berntsson, while Erica Andersson and Anna Holmstrom are named at wing and centre respectively.

With thanks to the IRB