sport news England rugby captain Sarah Hunter is ready to take the 'bad guys' to World Cup ... trends now 'We've spent a lot of time in fight club and the pen of pain, but it has paid off': After 25 straight wins, England rugby captain Sarah Hunter is ready to take the 'bad guys' to World Cup glory Saarah Hunter's England are favourites to win the women's rugby World Cup They come into the tournament after a record 25-game winning streak Captain Hunter said the team's 'set-piece has gone up another level' England start their World Cup campaign against Fiji on Saturday By Alex Bywater For The Daily Mail Published: 22:30 BST, 6 October 2022 | Updated: 23:24 BST, 6 October 2022 Viewcomments The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club, as Brad Pitt said in the 1999 thriller. But England captain Sarah Hunter is of a different mindset and has warned her team’s World Cup rivals that the Red Roses are ready to reach a new level in New Zealand after a summer of pain. Simon Middleton’s side are firm favourites for global glory after travelling to the southern hemisphere on the back of a record-breaking 25-match winning run. Sarah Hunter's England have set a new record with a 25-match winning streak But if anyone thought England were resting on their laurels, they should think again. ‘We’ve spent a lot of time in fight club and the pen of pain, but it has paid off,’ said 37-year-old forward Hunter, who was part of England’s World Cup-winning squad of 2014. ‘Our set-piece has gone up another level since the Six Nations, especially the scrum. We have spent a lot of time on our work as a leadership group which in the USA and Wales games really came into its own. ‘Hopefully it will be more of the same as we go through the World Cup.’ Hunter said her side's 'set-piece has gone up another level since the Six Nations' Hunter’s comments are ominous for any of the other teams competing in the southern hemisphere in the month to come. England begin their tournament against Fiji, as part of tomorrow’s opening-day triple header. Head coach Middleton has left out key flanker Marlie Packer who is not 100 per cent due to a foot problem. Packer should be back for England’s second game against France. Sadia Kabeya, 20, starts in place of Packer against Fiji in a strong side led by No 8 Hunter. Wing Abby Dow is poised to make her first appearance since the Six Nations off the bench. Dow suffered a horror broken leg against Wales in April, but her recovery has been remarkable thanks in no small part to the work of England’s medical team. England start their World Cup campaign against Fiji at 4.25am on Saturday ‘Every session she gets better,’ Middleton said of Dow. ‘It’s quite remarkable what the medics have done and it’s not by chance. The amount of effort they’ve put in has been incredible.’ England hammered the USA and Wales in warm-up games before flying to New Zealand and will almost certainly do the same to a Fiji side still learning at this level. Middleton’s only issue is the absence of star forward Shaunagh Brown after a positive Covid test. Kabeya also tested positive for the virus but has since completed her isolation period. ‘We’re going to be the bad guys on Saturday,’ said Middleton. ‘They (Fiji) are probably going to want an open, flowing game based around a bit of carnage. We want to try and bring them under control.’ THE ENGLAND SQUAD ENGLAND: E Kildunne; L Thompson, E Scarratt, H Rowland, C MacDonald; Z Harrison, L Infante; V Cornborough, A Cokayne, S Bern; Z Aldcroft, A Ward; A Matthews, S Kabeya, S Hunter (capt). Substitutes: C Powell, H Botterman, M Muir, C O’Donnell, P Cleall, L Packer, H Aitchison, A Dow. Kick-off: Saturday, 4.45am, Eden Park, Auckland. TV: LIVE on ITV from 4.25am. Referee: Aurelie Groizeleau (Fra). England’s World Cup fixtures — Group A: v Fiji (Auckland) Saturday 4.45am; v France (Whangarei) October 15, 8am; v South Africa (Auckland) October 23, 5.45am. Advertisement Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility