Australia must beat the most dominant team in rugby history to reach World Cup semi-finals
England's women's rugby team might just be the best sporting side you have never heard of.
Since losing to New Zealand in 2019, the Red Roses have peeled off a remarkable 28 straight wins - a tier one Test rugby world record for men or women.
The men's world record is shared by the 2015-16 All Blacks and Eddie Jones' England side of 2015-17. Those teams both won 18 Tests in a row.
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Zoe Aldcroft of England is tackled by a defender. AP
No surprises, then, that the fully professional Red Roses are hot favourites to win the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, after demolishing South Africa 75-0 in Sunday's final group game.
And the team tasked with stopping this England juggernaut in the quarterfinals?
The Wallaroos, who are relying on per diem payments at the tournament as Rugby Australia targets the delivery of professional contracts by 2025.
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England's Ellie Kildunne is tackled by Marjorie Mayans of France. AP
"England vs Australia in a World Cup - it doesn't get any better than that, does it? We don't get that many opportunities to play teams from the southern hemisphere for obvious reasons so we were sort of hoping we would play Australia – for no other reason than that," England coach Simon Middleton said ahead of Sunday's quarter-final at Waitakere Stadium (kick-off 11.30am AEDT).
"There is great history between the sides and we haven't been able to play them that often, I don't think we have played them since 2017, so it'll be great.
"It's a little bit of the unknown for us and we'll have to do our homework on them.
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"They are going really well and we know it'll be ferociously tough so, yeah, we are really excited by it."
The brutally efficient Red Roses opened their World Cup campaign with a 84-19 romp over Fiji before edging France 13-7 in a fierce encounter.
Australia, meanwhile, dropped their opening game against New Zealand, 41-17, before rebounding with a 14-12 win over Scotland and a 13-7 victory against Wales.
Claudia MacDonald of England scores a try. AP
With no external expectations of progressing to the semi-finals, the Wallaroos should play without fear.
They will also hold an element of surprise for the England machine.
"I'm super excited," England flanker Marlie Packer said.
"We don't get to play them that often and these are the types of teams you want to be playing at a World Cup.
"Nothing against the Six Nations teams but we play them every year. I want to be playing New Zealand, Australian, Canada because we don't play them as much as we'd like to.
"I know the girls will really relish this week and we'll make sure we look back at this game and get the positives but also get learnings from it and get ready and get focused for Australia."
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