Women"s Rugby World Cup 2014: La Toya Mason driven by defeat of 2010 as ...

Such raw emotion unites Mason with the surviving members of the England squad

from four years ago who now have a chance to make amends by winning this

year’s tournament in Paris.

England will play in a fourth successive final – the previous three all ended

in defeat to New Zealand – if they overcome Ireland at the Stade Jean Bouin

on Wednesday.

“Quite a few of us were involved in the 2010 final and it took a lot of us a

while to watch that final again,” added Mason, who has returned to the

starting XV in place of Natasha Hunt to win her 46th cap.

“Having that in the back of our head and knowing the hurt that we all went

through is something none of us want to experience again.”

Mason’s return is one of six changes to the side which drew 13-13 with Canada

in the final pool game on Saturday, a result that ensured that the Black

Ferns could not qualify for the semi-finals following their shock defeat in

the pool stages by Ireland. Hosts France face Canada in the other

semi-final.

Mason forms a new half-back partnership with captain Katy McLean while Kay

Wilson starts on the left wing.

In the pack, prop Sophie Hemming is set to win her 70th cap, while Lichfield’s

Victoria Fleetwood starts at hooker and Joanna McGilchrist returns to the

second row.

Alexandra Matthews, the 21-year-old Richmond flanker, is also preferred to

Heather Fisher on the blindside flank.

Twelve of the starting XV also started against New Zealand four years ago, so

Mason insists the squad are united by the extent of their individual

commitment to the cause.

Despite the financial strength of the Rugby Football Union, the squad remain

amateur and many of the players have had to use up annual or unpaid leave to

take part.

“I’m one of the more fortunate players in the squad because I work for the RFU

as a community coach in Surrey and it was not as difficult for me to take

the time off work because the RFU have been so helpful,” added Mason, who

first came to England in 2007 to play for Northumbria University.

“But other players have had to take time off work, unpaid leave, all their

annual leave or pay cuts.

“Everyone has this idea that England have full-time professionals and

have everything but some of the stress some of our girls have been under has

been immense.

“That’s why I think we are so tight together as a squad because we all

know what each other has gone through. It brings us together more.

“We’ve been asked to take a week off every month from January and for some

players who have real jobs like being police officers, they can’t go on

holiday after this tournament because they have no leave left.”

England have spent the past three days reviewing their own performance against

Canada and analysing the Irish side.

Not surprisingly, Ireland have named the same XV who beat the Black Ferns

17-14.

Inspirational full-back Niamh Briggs returns along with wingers Ashleigh

Baxter and Alison Miller while Tania Rosser moves back to scrum-half, with

Nora Stapleton starting at fly-half.

Captain Fiona Coghlan and Ailis Egan return either side of hooker Gillian

Bourke in the front row and the Old Belvedere pairing of Sophie Spence and

Marie Louise Reilly start in the second row.

England defeated Ireland 17-10 in the Six Nations last season at Twickenham

but Mason, who is relishing her head-to-head against Rosser – born and

raised in New Zealand – is expecting a ferocious contest.

“Ireland are a great team and they have a strong belief in each other,” Mason

added.

“They are on a massive high and will come out all guns blazing so we have to

expect loads from them.”

Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/16-opposition-rugby-players-welsh-6349989

Women"s Rugby World Cup 2014: La Toya Mason driven by defeat of 2010 as ...