England will face hosts and holders New Zealand in the World Cup final next Saturday after showing grit to hold off a determined Canada at Eden Park.

But professionals England stood up to the test, with Abby Dow scoring a stunning try and three Emily Scarratt penalties enough to seal the win.

New Zealand beat France 25-24 in a thrilling second semi-final.

France fly-half Caroline Drouin missed a penalty that would have won the game in the 80th minute and the Black Ferns closed it out in front of a jubilant home crowd.

The Red Roses extended their winning record to 30 in a row with the semi-final victory and on 12 November will be seeking a first world title since 2014 against the side that stole the crown from them in 2017.

England fans get an unusual taste of nerves

England started the World Cup as firm favourites but as semi-finals weekend approached, the narrative subtly changed with New Zealand’s confidence growing as fast as the questions over England’s forwards-focused game plan.

Things were somewhat turbulent for England pre-match as both prop Hannah Botterman and scrum-half Lucy Packer were late injury withdrawals from the squad.

The Red Roses looked the most fragile they have all tournament as underdogs Canada enjoyed an energetic start.

Centre Scarratt looked unusually nervous as she dropped two high balls but she soon rectified things with a stylish offload to Tatyana Heard that showed England’s backs had come to play this time.

England’s opening try still came from their characteristic line-out drive as Zoe Harrison kicked to the corner instead of trying to take three points from the tee.

But the second try was a beautiful bit of running rugby in the sun as Helena Rowland, a lively presence at the back from the start, drew in enough defenders, covering half the pitch and creating enough room for Dow to go over.

It seemed as if Canada could not cope with an England side playing with more intensity than they have all tournament and that the semi-final was wrapped up after 15 minutes.

But what England flaunted in attack, they lacked in defence. Canada scrum-half Justine Pelletier exposed them first, finding a gap and chipping through for flanker Karen Paquin to score.

Soon after, England again kicked to the corner when they could have gone for goal but this time they were not rewarded because Abbie Ward was held up over the tryline.

Once again Canada gathered momentum and the pressure on England mounted as they were given a taste of their own maul, driven back into their own 22.

Off the next line-out, the Canadians went wide and Rowland was left with too much to do as centre Alysha Corrigan scored, with number eight Sophie de Goede’s conversion tying things up at 12-12.

Suddenly England fans had a feeling they have not needed to experience for about a year: nerves. This time, when England won a penalty in front of the posts, Scarratt took her chance to take a narrow lead at half-time.

England survive physical encounter

England were immediately given the opportunity to double their lead as Scarratt nailed another penalty just after the break.

Soon after Rowland, such a reliable force at the back for England, went down with an injury that looked serious enough to keep her out of the final and was stretchered from the field, with Ellie Kildunne coming on at full-back.

England’s character was further tested as they were repeatedly battered by Canadian forwards less then a metre from their tryline.

Backed into a corner, the Red Roses produced what is probably their best try of the year.

Claudia MacDonald began running the ball out from her own tryline and as she sliced her way through defenders and found an on-running Dow.

Dow was told she would miss the World Cup because of a broken leg suffered in April, but looked as powerful as ever as she covered half the pitch to score a try that will surely go down in World Cup history.

Still Canada would not be beaten and England prop Vickii Cornborough was sent to the sin-bin as she defended in the Red Roses’ 22.

After a break from Canada fly-half Alex Tessier, England were forced into more dogged defence on their tryline but this time they could not keep their opponents out and Tyson Beukeboom went over.

De Goede’s conversion got Canada to within four points before Scarratt’s third penalty gave England the more comfortable seven-point cushion with which they ended the match.

England players ran to hug each other in celebration after surviving a brutal and physical encounter. With Rowland returning to the pitch to celebrate on crutches, it remains to be seen how energetically the side will bounce back for the final.

‘We’re in the final – that’s all that matters’

England head coach Simon Middleton: “That’s what we came here to do. We have got work to do, we need to recover well and there’s a fair bit to get through. We didn’t play well but we showed loads of character.

“Canada were absolutely brilliant, they just don’t make any mistakes with the ball. We were soft in defence, we invited them in. They have so much spirit and character.

“But I am thrilled. We were under massive pressure and we are in the final, that’s all that matters. That’s why we brought Abby Dow here. We were always going to give her a chance, you won’t see a better try than that. Individual brilliance.”

England captain Sarah Hunter: “It was incredible, we came here to get into the final. Boy did Canada test us. It was a showcase for what women’s rugby is all about.

“Canada were relentless, we had to put our bodies on the line and we were desperate to get into the final.”

England centre Emily Scarratt: “We are buzzing. This is bucket list stuff, playing a World Cup final in Eden Park. There have been lots of bumps along the road but it’s one big last effort and we’ll be up for it.”

England’s 2014 World Cup-winning captain Katy Daley-Mclean: “As an England fan after 60 minutes I was not enjoying it as much as I thought I would be. It was a great game and the standard we want more of because there have been a lot of big wins during this World Cup.”

2014 World Cup winner Kat Merchant: “There were points left out on the pitch by Canada. That was a great effort by an amateur side, but England did what they had to do and overcame the test.”

Line-ups

Canada: Alarie; Grant, Corrigan, Kaljuvee, Farries; Tessier, Pelletier; DeMerchant, Tuttosi, Menin, Holtkamp, Hunt, Forteza, Paquin, De Goede (capt).

Replacements: Boag, Kassil, Ellis, Fuamba, Beukeboom, Senft, Svoboda, Holly.

England: Rowland; Dow, Scarratt, Heard, MacDonald; Harrison, Infante; Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Aldcroft, Ward, Matthews, M Packer, Hunter (capt).

Replacements: Davies, Muir, Brown, Galligan, Cleall, Kabeya, Aitchison, Kildunne.