KEY POINTS:
Think the world champs are just a dressed-up transtasman competition? Think again.
England enter this tournament with the best chance of unseating the New Zealand-Australia hegemony since South Africa stunned the Silver Ferns at Birmingham in 1995.
"England's looking really hot at the moment," Silver Ferns defender Sheryl Scanlan said.
"The worst thing we could do would be to look too far ahead to a New Zealand-Australia final because you've got England and you've got Jamaica as well.
"Yes, we did beat Jamaica earlier but they will be a different team here."
All the same, it is difficult to see Jamaica nudging themselves into the final. England, on the other hand, have recent pedigree, coming to Auckland as one of the form sides in the world this year. A 3-0 home series win over South Africa in January was followed by a 50-45 defeat of New Zealand in May, only the second English win over the Silver Ferns.
England then pushed Australia hard in the same tri-series before losing 40-47.
In September, England beat Jamaica 3-0 in a series at Kingston.
England's team combines experienced campaigners such as captain Amanda Newton and Karen Atkinson, with five members of the England under-21 side which took silver at the 2005 World Youth Championships - Jo Binns, Louisa Brownfield, Pamela Cookey, Geva Mentor and Asha Tett. Jo Harten, 18 and still a member of England's under-21 squad, is included for her first senior championships.
England have finished in the top four of all 11 world championships.