By Becky Grey
The Rugby World Cup begins in Aotearoa on Saturday - a year later than planned and plenty has changed in that time.
England are the women's Six Nations champions. Photo: ©INPHO/Evan Treacy, ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
A pandemic-induced break from test rugby means five-time champions and hosts the Black Ferns are not the superpower they once were.
Instead it is England who have surged to take the favourites tag, with Wales and Scotland set to go head to head in their pool for a quarter-final spot and Ireland failing to qualify.
Each side will play three group games, with the top two in each of the three pools and best two third-placed teams reaching the quarter-finals.
Here is a look at each team's chances before the tournament begins.
Two-time champions England go into the tournament as overwhelming favourites to claim a first title since 2014.
The Red Roses have been top of the world rankings since November 2020 and, earlier in September, became the first team in history to win 25 Tests in a row.
They have never finished lower than third at the tournament so will certainly expect to get out of Pool C, which also features France, South Africa and Fiji.
England celebrate winning the 2014 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Photosport
Along with hosts and defending champions New Zealand, France have the greatest chance of upsetting England's bid for the trophy, but neither has beaten Simon Middleton's side in the last three years.
France have long been the Red Roses' greatest rivals in the Six Nations, but have lost to England in each of their last 10 meetings.
South Africa are ranked 11th in the world and count Exeter centre Zintle Mpupha and powerful lock Catha Jacobs among their squad.
Competing in their first World Cup, Fiji are a bit of an unknown but will benefit from the individual brilliance of six players who were part of the Olympic bronze and Commonwealth silver medal-winning sevens teams.
The early fixture between Wales and Scotland on October 9 will be a crucial one for both sides.
With two third-place qualifying spots for the quarter-finals, victory in that match could be the difference in a pool that also includes New Zealand and Australia.
Australia have not been tested against European opponents in the last year, making it hard to predict their chances, but they do boast sevens players who have won the World Cup, World Series and Commonwealth titles this year.
Based on world ranking, second-placed New Zealand are set to finish top, with Australia's ranking of seventh making them next best. Wales are ninth and Scotland 10th.
However, it is hoped Wales will continue to improve since being given professional contracts earlier in 2022.
They finished third in the 2022 Women's Six Nations, beating last-placed Scotland 24-19, but lost 53-7 to New Zealand in a training game in 2021.
Scotland are behind Wales in their professional evolution, with contracts due to come in after the World Cup, but the squad was given funding for 11 weeks' full-time training before the tournament.
For Bryan Easson's side, just making it to New Zealand was cause for celebration given they last competed in a World Cup in 2010.
Many of the side will be familiar faces to English fans, given 21 of the 32-player squad - including star backs Helen Nelson and Chloe Rollie - compete in the Premier 15s league.
Scotland have also been preparing for the tournament in the shadow of the death of a team-mate, with Siobhan Cattigan's family calling for an independent inquiry, saying rugby-related brain damage caused a decline in the 26-year-old's health before her death last November.
The Scottish Rugby Union said in August it would not sanction an external inquiry into Cattigan's death.
New Zealand are attempting to bounce back from disappointingly heavy defeats to France and England in 2021, followed by a damning cultural review earlier this year.
England may find some comfort in those record 2021 wins, but history is on the side of the Black Ferns, given they have beaten the Red Roses in four World Cup finals and claimed five titles overall.
In the last six months World Cup-winning coaches from the men's game have been drafted in, with Wayne Smith leading the side and Graham Henry offering support.
Former All Black Dan Carter has helped out with the Black Ferns kicking skills. Photo: Dave Lintott / Photosport
Even former All Blacks first-five Dan Carter has been involved, helping fullback Renee Holmes with her goal-kicking, while esteemed scrum coach Mike Cron has boosted the set-piece.
In Pool B, Canada and the United States are littered with Premier 15s players and, ranked third and sixth in the world respectively. Both will be hoping for at least a place in the last eight.
Italy will provide worthy competition in that group, while Japan have claimed some impressive wins under Canadian head coach Lesley McKenzie and may challenge for a surprise quarter-final spot.
-BBC
