Overview

• England ruled captain Zoe Aldcroft out for the rest of the pool stage with a knee injury and named 13 changes to face Samoa, with Marlie Packer to captain and Helena Rowland returning, while Holly Aitchison remains sidelined.
• Canada made six changes for Wales, with Tyson Beukeboom set for her 80th cap to tie the national appearances record and six-try fullback Julia Schell retaining her place after a standout opener.
• The United States vs Australia in York is widely viewed as deciding who joins England from Pool A, with the Wallaroos coming off a 73-0 win over Samoa and captain Siokapesi Palu still unavailable.
• South Africa, fresh from a 66-6 win over Brazil, target a quarterfinal-clinching result against higher-ranked Italy in a fixture the Springbok Women acknowledge as a significant step up.
• Tournament organizers report more than 400,000 tickets sold and strong early attendances as round-two fixtures begin across Manchester, Northampton, Exeter and York.