England Women's Rugby to face Spain, France in World Cup warm-ups

England's Red Roses will play two warm-up matches against Spain and France in August as part of their preparations for the Women's Rugby World Cup, which they will host later in the summer. The team will first host Spain in Leicester before traveling to face France in Mont-de-Marsan, with both matches seen as key tests ahead of the tournament. Spain returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2017 after winning the WXV 3 tournament, while France, who have finished third seven times, are aiming for their first final. England, undefeated since their 2022 World Cup final loss, recently secured their seventh consecutive Six Nations Grand Slam with a narrow win over France. The World Cup kicks off on August 22, with England facing the United States in the opening match, and both Samoa and Australia also in their pool. These fixtures will help solidify England's squad and provide Spain with valuable experience ahead of their return to the global stage.