Black Ferns pray for clear skies

New Zealand's women player of the year Melissa Ruscoe is part of a dominant Black Ferns loose forward trio. Tim Smith / Getty Images

The Black Ferns are confident of a third successive World Cup title but are still looking to the heavens ahead of their final against England.

Unbeaten for five years, and victors over the English in their latest two-test series 11 months ago, the top seeded New Zealanders are not looking skywards for salvation, rather they are praying the Canadian weather stays fine for the final in Edmonton on Monday at 11am.

In an eerie coincidence with the later stages of the last men's World Cup in Australia in 2003, the fine weather has packed up just as a conservative, forward-orientated English side eye the grand prize.

After being blessed with hot weather and firm grounds, the temperature dropped 20C to 4C for the Black Ferns' training session yesterday and the forecast is poor over the weekend.

"It's turned rather nasty. It's just about snowing up in the hills," coach Jed Rowlands said.

"It's supposed to be ugly over the next couple of days ... and the English will like it the wetter the better."

New Zealand's strength is outside the set piece, with their imposing backline responsible for scoring or setting up the majority of the side's 27 tries in four matches.

"Hopefully we can still move the ball but it [feared weather] makes it a little bit more difficult the way we play," Rowlands said. "We know we're going to make a few mistakes. It's the nature of the way we play."

England, meanwhile, are more focused on forward power and territorial domination.

"They love the forward play, and their halfback [captain Jo Yapp] is a good organiser," Rowlands said.

First five-eighths Karen Andrew, no relation to former England pivot Rob, but cut from the same cloth, was "typical English. She likes to kick to the corners", he added.

Despite their usually safety-first approach, England have still managed 21 tries, including six to the tournament's leading scorer, Sue Day.

England had the harder road to the final and only pipped Canada 20-14 in their semifinal, a team the Black Ferns beat 66-7 in the tournament opener.

New Zealand also won last October's home series although the English bounced back from losing the first test 8-33 to narrow the gap to 16-25 in the second.

England were the last team to beat the Black Ferns, 22-17 in 2001, in a drawn series in New Zealand.

That loss still rankles with Black Ferns veterans and there is clearly no love lost between the teams.

"We have a strong rivalry with England, the players don't like losing to them," Rowlands said.

"There's a bit of feeling between the teams, there's been a few things at after-match functions that haven't gone too well though I think the relationship isn't too bad now."

Rowlands will not make extensive changes to the squad who overwhelmed France 40-10 in the semifinals.

- NZPA