‘Magical moment’: Middleton hails Dow solo try for taking England into final

England’s head coach Simon Middleton has hailed the “magical moment” from Abby Dow that has set up a World Cup final showdown with New Zealand. The Red Roses were staring down the barrel of a possible shock semi-final defeat to Canada until Dow’s 50th-minute wonder score which saw the winger complete a length-of-the-field counter attack to rank alongside the most spectacular tries by a European team at Eden Park.

Not since Jean Luc Sadourny’s famous ‘Try from the End of the World’ for France’s men’s side in 1994 has there been a more spectacular end-to-end visiting try at this hallowed venue, with Dow outpacing a clutch of Canadian pursuers in a thrilling 65-metre sprint to the line that helped to seal a 26-19 semi-final win.

Dow’s race to be fit for this tournament after breaking a leg in March made it all the more special in Middleton’s eyes. “It was just a great try‚ it was incredible,” said Middleton, whose squad now face a re-run of the 2017 final won by the Black Ferns.

“We were absolutely under the pump and then they went and pulled that out. Whether we’d had won or lost today that was a magical moment. It should be celebrated. It’s incredible the journey she’s been on.”

The 25-year-old Dow was quick to pay tribute to her team-mate Claudia MacDonald, who sparked the try by finding space in her own 22 before finding her winger. “It was definitely one where, as a winger, you’ve got to back yourself. When Claudia gave me that ball I was like ‘Right we can finish this.’ I had Ellie Kildunne in support but I just decided to run as hard as I could. For myself, in terms of my recovery journey, it made every second of groaning pain worth it.”

England will now be desperate to finish the job, having last won the world title