England - full of confidence - have a go at running from deep.

Amy Wilson-Hardy makes good ground on the right wing and it takes three USA defenders to haul her down.

The ball is flung in-field, where the move eventually breaks down, and the Eagles come up with possession.

But they're down to 14 players and are struggling to find space at the moment.

It's a blustery afternoon at Billings Park - an open ground of course - but England once again opt to kick to touch from the penalty.

They get the line-out right and off they go towards the line.

USA a player down, a third try on the way here...

Well, just the start England head coach Simon Middleton would have wanted.

And he'll want his side to capitalise on their extra player now.

USA have a scrum inside their own half and England are in once again to disrupt.

The USA forward pack are looking vulnerable here, they've completely lost their shape.

Another excellent kick from England fly-half Katy Mclean as she spots the gap and hammers the ball downfield.

Cheta Emba makes an uncharacteristic error and knocks the ball out herself so it's an England throw.

It's been all England so far this afternoon, a truly rapid start from the world champions.

USA are desperately trying to get out of their own 22 and their captain Tiffany Faaee draws the penalty on the half-way line as Sarah Bern is pulled for not rolling away.

USA are into England's half, but once again the line-out is stolen. Tamara Taylor plucking the ball out of the air this time.

The USA need to get their set-piece sorted.

So close!

England secure good line-out ball and there's a little dinked kick through from Katy Mclean.

But has Emily Scarratt grounded the ball? Or was she denied by USA's Cheta Emba? We're about to find out...

England are penalised for offside following that missed kick and USA punt the ball down the field.

But the women in white steal the ball at the line-out and produce their best period of the match so far.

Hooker Amy Cokayne pops up on the wing and powers towards the line but the USA are saved by a great tackle from fly-half Kimber Rozier.

And we have our first scrum at the match. England steal. They're all over the Eagles at the moment.

And that's her first miss of the afternoon from a relatively easy position in front of the sticks.

That is not the start she would have wanted.

Room for improvement...

England captain Sarah Hunter, back in the number eight shirt, charges down Cheta Emba's kick and it's a foot race to pounce on the loose ball.

USA recover but in the end England are awarded the penalty and Emily Scarratt will have her first shot at goal...

Image source, Getty Images

England have scored 20 tries so far, but have only converted three of them.

Ex-England wing and BBC rugby union analyst Kat Merchant, when asked about the quality of kicking in the tournament, said:

"I think some of the kicking out of hand has been great. Katy McLean's cross field kick to Kay Wilson against Spain to score for example, also New Zealand’s Kendra Cocksedge really pinned Canada back today.

"But kicking for posts has been poor. There’s been a lot of tries scored out wide but not the level of accuracy expected from top class players with the conversions.

"I think this will improve as the games get tighter and there is more significance to the kicks."

But the first penalty of the match goes to England and they take the line-out.

A good take settles the nerves and the ball is with Emily Scarratt on the half-way line as England look to build.

Katy Mclean opts for the kick and it's a brilliant one. The ball just dribbles over the sideline and USA are under pressure in their own 22.

Kicks haven't been England's strong point so far this tournament but that's a nice start.

It's a scrappy start.

USA let the ball bounce and England eventually get their hands on it.

But USA have it back and full-back Cheta Emba announces herself in the game with a fine run from deep.

So it's a repeat of the 1991 World Cup final for a place in the semi-finals.

Alev Kelter for the USA gets us under way...

Image source, Getty Images

Steinberg has been at the helm since 2011.

He grew up in Cambridgeshire and moved to the US in the mid-1990s as his father was American.

And the head coach has been talking tough ahead of this afternoon's decider.

He likened his team’s challenge, external to the American War of Independence...

"If you look at the US Revolution, it was a bunch of farmers fighting against the best-resourced army in the world. That is what we are like here," he said.

"One of our themes for this game is what we call the ‘Eagle Revolt’. We’ve talked about the Eagle Revolution."

And a jolly rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner follows.

We're all set, but first, here's some pre-match chat from USA head coach Pete Steinberg.

He was born in England...

Here come the anthems.

Skies seem to have darkened but that won't dampen the spirits at Billings Park as 'God Save the Queen' rings out.

Lots of smiles from the England women.

But have the USA won the first competition of the day?

They've come dressed for the occasion.

And the teams are out on the field...

Image source, BBC Sport