Summary

  • England through to World Cup final with battling victory at Eden Park in Auckland

  • Marlie Packer and Abby Dow scored early England tries but Canada hit back to level

  • Emily Scarratt penalty gave England slender 15-12 half-time lead

  • Dow finished superb move to put England 23-12 up in second half

  • Tyson Beukeboom try closes gap as amateur side Canada pressure England

  • But Red Roses hold firm to win 30th Test match in a row

  • Hosts New Zealand play France in second semi-final at 06:30 GMT

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance

  1. Canada 12-23 England

    Better line-out from Canada, England a player down, can Canada make it count? Ahhh they knock on and that's a big relief for the Red Roses.

  2. Canada 12-23 England

    Paige Farries is having her nose put back on her face as Canada line up the penalty. It's kicked to the corner, can they make a better job of their line-out here?

  3. Canada 12-23 England

    But Canada strip the ball after all that pressure and Paige Farries makes a lot of ground, the counter punch! Well played, they get the ball wide and England eventually cough up a penalty. Not rolling away.

  4. Canada 12-23 England

    Calm, collected rugby from England, they just easily put together 15 phases, pass and move. Looking class. Just 20 minutes away from the World Cup final now.

  5. Canada 12-23 England

    Elissa Alarie is carrying on but she's strapped up. Both sides are using their bench, England captain Sarah Hunter has already been replaced and now Maud Muir is on. England still playing with 14, remember.

  6. Canada 12-23 England

    Great game management from England's forwards here, just making yards and keeping the ball. Then Canada get it and a massive hit from Alex Matthews leaves a Canada back in a heap. It's Elissa Alarie who has the wind belted out of her and Canada have no backs left on the bench...

    Abbie WardGetty Images

  7. Canada 12-23 England

    Sara Orchard
    Rugby union commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

    England are playing classic up-the-jumper rugby to deny Canada the ball.

  8. Canada 12-23 England

    Canada make a mess of a line-out just five metres out, it's not straight and that's a big error with the one-player advantage. England creaking a bit, pinned in. They just need to see this sin-bin period out.

  9. Sin-bin

    Canada 12-23 England

    You can't write this Canada side off though. They react to that gut punch by forcing pressure of their own and prop Vickii Cornborough is sent to the bin for her part in stopping a drive.

    England down to 14 for the next 10 minutes...

  10. 'Let the backs have the ball'

    Canada 12-23 England

    Katy Daley-Mclean
    England's 2014 World Cup-winning captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Let the backs have the ball - we've been saying that all tournament. Canada will be kicking themselves for not scoring but England's two wingers made 100m between them - it shows their capability to run the ball from their own goalline.

    Abby DowGetty Images

  11. Canada 12-23 England

    Could that be the score that breaks the Canadian backs? A reminder that Abby Dow broke her leg against Wales in April. And she's just torched the entire field to score.

  12. 'Sheer pace'

    Canada 12-23 England

    Kat Merchant
    2014 England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That came from England trying something different. They were on the tryline but England backed themselves and Dow had too much pace. Footwork, scanning, a huge pass and sheer pace.

  13. Canada 12-23 England

    Becky Grey
    BBC Sport at Eden Park

    That has got to be the best try England have scored all year - and it's a competitive field.

  14. Canada 12-23 England

    Emily Scarratt can't score the conversion from a testing angle. You will be seeing that try for many a year to come.

  15. Sara Orchard
    Rugby union commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That is just wow!

  16. try

    Try - Canada 12-23 England

    Abby Dow

    That is just box office. What a try from Abby Dow! England were pinned under their own posts for about three minutes as Canada tried to force over the line but England win it back, left wing Claudia Macdonald makes the break and finds Abby Dow on the halfway line, she puts the afterburners on and nobody is going to catch her! She scorches over for a sensational score...

  17. Canada 12-18 England

    Huge tackle from Amy Cokayne as England prevent the try right under the posts, and England turnover the ball...

  18. Canada 12-18 England

    Canada work the phases again, really testing the England defence. They would take the lead with a converted try of course. Canada come one way than the other, one metre out! England holding a great line, some big tackles coming in...

  19. Canada 12-18 England

    We are back up and running. Canada restart with a long spell of pressure, Alysha Corrigan snipes through a gap, looking for space and eventually England knock on and give Canada the scrum. Dangerous position.

  20. Canada 12-18 England

    Becky Grey
    BBC Sport at Eden Park

    Ellie Kildunne has come on for Rowland and that means there is just one back - Holly Aitchison - left on the Red Roses' bench.