Flying wing with flying fists - meet England's electric new star

WXV - United States v England

Venue: BC Place, Vancouver Date: Sunday, 29 September Kick-off: 20:30 BST Coverage: Live connected BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer

It's a squad game, but Bo Westcombe-Evans relishes nan individual battle.

"Me, successful space, 1 v one, is my perfect scenario," nan England helping tells BBC Sport.

"I for illustration to backmost myself connected nan edge. I person rather a bully hand-off, truthful I effort and measurement connected nan extracurricular and usage it to fend.

"I for illustration taking nan handbrake disconnected and conscionable going for it."

Less than 3 months ago, that operation of footwork, accelerated hands and full-on onslaught carried Westcombe-Evans into a alternatively different contest.

As Ini Kamoze's 1994 deed 'Here Comes nan Hotstepper' blared retired crossed Leicester's Athena venue, she emerged though nan barren crystal and spotlight, bouncing connected her toes and decked retired successful reddish boxing shorts.

In nan bluish area was a chap student, representing Loughborough University's powerlifting scene. Despite giving up respective inches successful tallness and reach, it was Westcombe-Evans who emerged victorious complete 3 bruising rounds.

"It was a charity-run event– a student conflict night, I conscionable thought it is simply a spot of maine - that fierce broadside - and signed up," Westcombe-Evans says.

"There was a infinitesimal erstwhile you are looking retired complete that arena – hundreds of group watching, nan ringing connected shape – erstwhile I thought 'oh my gosh, what person I done'.

"It was a really cool acquisition though; each my friends came down to watch dressed up successful really smart clothing and winning was amazing.

"I wouldn't do it again though. I americium retiring undefeated!"

If that was nan extremity of 1 career, Sunday marks nan commencement of another. The 22-year-old will make her England debut against nan United States connected Sunday as nan Red Roses statesman their WXV defence.

Alongside Westcombe-Evans astatine extracurricular centre will beryllium erstwhile world subordinate of nan twelvemonth Emily Scarratt who, by contrast, will beryllium winning her 114th Test cap.

Westcombe-Evans won't beryllium successful awe. She has gone done that already.

Playing for Loughborough's student broadside meant sharing accommodation and pitches pinch Loughborough Lightning stars specified arsenic Scarratt, erstwhile England skipper Sarah Hunter and Helena Rowland.

"I retrieve being successful pre-season successful my 2nd twelvemonth of university, erstwhile societal distancing had ended, being astir Scaz [Scarratt], Helena Rowland and Sarah Hunter and reasoning 'this is crazy'," Westcombe-Evans says.

"But they are specified awesome group arsenic good arsenic players; they made maine consciousness truthful welcome. The knowledge they person has helped maine arsenic good to beryllium nan champion type of me."

Hunter's knowledge helped connected insubstantial arsenic good arsenic nan pitch. Now overseeing England's defence, Hunter was a prima interviewee for Westcombe-Evans' dissertation connected nan barriers female coaches look successful rugby.

"I didn't realise, moreover arsenic a player, really difficult it is for females to get into coaching," says Westcombe-Evans.

"It is crazy, astir of nan girls who coach are astatine a precocious level, whereas antheral coaches could beryllium grassroots players who deliberation they person amended knowledge than world players.

"It was really interesting."

That whitethorn beryllium a conflict Westcombe-Evans takes up successful future.

In nan meantime, she is scoring apical marks successful Premiership Women's Rugby.

During nan regular season, she made much metres (1,700) and much statement breaks (25) than anyone other successful England's apical flight., external

Those stats person bolstered her belief arsenic she has go utilized to life wrong nan world's champion women's rugby squad complete nan past 7 weeks of training.

"I do get rather a batch of imposter syndrome – wondering if I merit to beryllium here," Westcombe-Evans says.

"But, astatine nan extremity of nan day, I play pinch aliases against each these girls truthful I person earned my correct to beryllium present and my spot successful nan team."

Alex Matthews, who captains England connected Sunday, surely believes Westcombe-Evans has earned that right, describing her arsenic "electric" and predicting immoderate "real damage" to nan US defence.

When she lines up successful nan passageway wrong nan cavernous 54,000-seater BC Place – a venue that will big Taylor Swift for 3 nights successful December – Westcombe-Evans anticipates she will beryllium "super nervous".

"Nerves are natural, but I americium filled pinch excitement," she says.

"I want to spell out, show what I tin do connected specified a large time and full-on rip in."

In nan ring, those strategies proved excessively overmuch for her opponent. The United States mightiness besides beryllium near seeing stars.