Summary

  • Final score: England 20-3 France

  • Bern, Jones tries, Scarratt 2 pens, 2 cons for Eng, Izar pen for Fra

  • England are reigning world champions

  • New Zealand thrash USA 45-12 in first semi

  • Portia Woodman scores 4 of NZ's 7 tries

  • Earlier Ireland lost to Australia and Wales were thrashed by Canada

  • Click speaker button to listen to BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentary

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:51 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    #bbcrugby

    Are you predicting an upset? Or just fancy a chat about the rugby?

    Get in touch by tweeting #bbcrugby and let the conversation flow...

  2. Head-to-headpublished at 16:50 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    New Zealand v USA (17:00 BST)

    These two teams have history at major championships.

    This is a re-run of the 1991 semifinal when USA beat the Black Ferns 7-0 on their way to winning the first ever Women's Rugby World Cup.

    Then in 1998, New Zealand got their revenge, beating USA 44-12 in the final.

    They faced each other twice in the 2014 World Cup, once in the pool stages and once in the 5th place play-off...New Zealand won both of those by hefty margins.

    New Zealand also caused the USA misery in the Olympic sevens at Rio 2016, beating them 5-0 in the quarterfinals.

  3. Round-uppublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    So while we're focusing on the two semi-finals, the rankings play-offs have been taking place throughout the day.

    Bear with me, it's slightly complicated...

    Here's what happened:

    • 9th place semi-final: Italy 22-0 Japan
    • 9th place semi-final: Spain 31-7 Hong Kong

    So Italy v Spain in the 9th/10th place play-off.

    And Japan v Hong Kong in the 11th/12th place play-off

    • 5th place semi-final: Ireland 24-36 Australia

    So Ireland will play the loser of Canada v Wales (17:00 BST) to decide the 7th/8th places.

    Australia will play the winner of Canada v Wales to decide the 5th/6th places.

    Got it? Good.

  4. NZ 'team to beat'published at 16:45 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    New Zealand v USA (17:00 BST)

    Jenna Hawkey
    BBC Radio 5 sports extra live at Kingspan Stadium

    Portia WoodmanImage source, Getty Images

    New Zealand look like the team to beat.

    They've blown their opponents apart in the pool stages, walking all over Canada, who were ranked third in the world going into this tournament.

    Scoring 35 tries in three games and conceding just three, they haven't really been tested yet.

    The USA will be looking to put the pressure on early, which they failed to do against England on Thursday.

    They have potent strike runners in their back three who could punish the Black Ferns if given the space to do so.

  5. Team newspublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    New Zealand v USA (17:00 BST)

    USA WomenImage source, Getty Images

    Both sides field an unchanged starting XV from the final round of pool matches.

    But the USA are forced to bring full-back Tess Feury onto the bench in place of Sylvia Braaten, who has been given a two game suspension for making contact with an opponent's eyes in their match v England on Tuesday.

    New Zealand boast an accomplished and experienced side, with seven of the 23 World Cup winners in 2010, as well as benefiting from four Olympic sevens silver medalists.

  6. BBC coveragepublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    I'll be bringing you live text commentary of both semi-finals but if you fancy some audio to enhance the experience, we've got that covered too.

    There's live commentary over on 5 live sports extra starting at 16:50 BST.

    Former Ireland prop Fiona Hayes is alongside commentator Jenna Hawkey for the first match.

    And it's England's 2014 World Cup winner Kat Merchant with Sara Orchard for the second semi.

    Just click on the link at the top of the page.

  7. Postpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    New Zealand v USA (17:00 BST)

    New ZealandImage source, Getty Images

    England v France kicks off at 19:45 BST.

    But first we get a glimpse of perhaps England's greatest threat, world number one side New Zealand.

    They take on USA in the first semi-final.

    The Black Ferns are the four-time world champions and have scored 35 tries so far this tournament.

    Two huge games for you - what a Tuesday evening we have in store.

  8. Postpublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 22 August 2017

    England womenImage source, Getty Images

    It's semi-final day at the Women's Rugby World Cup.

    England are just two matches away from becoming back-to-back world champions.

    Their first task? Beating France in Belfast.

    Then they can start to dream...