What you need to know about England's semi-final with France at Women's Rugby World Cup

Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final: France v England

Venue: Ashton Gate, Bristol Date: Saturday, 20 September Kick-off: 15:30 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online; listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra; live text and highlights on BBC Sport website and app.

England face France in Bristol on Saturday for a place in the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup.

The tournament hosts and world number one side have won their past 16 matches against France and are clear favourites to go through.

The Red Roses thrashed France 40-6 in a World Cup warm-up match last month, but they had to dig deep to overcome Les Bleues 43-42 in a nail-biting Six Nations title decider in April.

The semi-final kicks off at 15:30 BST at Ashton Gate and will be shown live on BBC One.

The winner will face Canada in the final at Twickenham Stadium on 27 September after the world number two side outclassed defending champions New Zealand 34-19 on Friday.

England powered past Scotland 40-8 in the quarter-finals to extend their world record winning run to 31 matches, while France were pushed all the way before overcoming Ireland 18-13.

England beat the United States, Samoa and Australia to win Pool A, while France defeated Italy, Brazil and South Africa to finish top of Pool D.

England have scored 248 points across their four games and conceded just 25, while France's record stands at 183 points for and 28 against.

The Red Roses have scored 38 tries, with 22 of them coming from their impressive pack of forwards, although wing Jess Breach is the team's top try-scorer this tournament with six.

Wing Joanna Grisez and full-back Emilie Boulard lead the way for France with four each from a team total of 28 tries.

England have won eight of their nine semi-finals and lifted the trophy in 1994 and 2014.

France have never played in a Women's Rugby World Cup final, losing each of their previous eight semi-finals, including three against England.

England lock Abbie Ward on the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast:

"France week is one of my favourite weeks ever in rugby. I love playing France. They are one of my favourite opponents because of the physicality and you have no other choice but to step up and meet fire with fire.

"They have multiple threats, we have just as many, but for me I want to take those options away from them.

"I love it when, particularly in a line-out or a maul, you can really get stuck into them and you can see it in their eyes when you start taking their options away."

France co-head coach Gaelle Mignot:

"Of course we're not favourites in this match. The stats are on England's side.

"We're very clear in our minds – we're the underdogs but we've got the character to show we're in this semi-final for a reason. We've got the tools. Our aim is to throw a bit of sand in England's machine.

"We go into this with solidarity, hunger and the will to be brave, united and fight until the very last minute to show what we're capable of."

World player of the year Ellie Kildunne returns from concussion to replace Helena Rowland at full-back.

Prop Hannah Botterman has recovered from a back problem to reclaim her place at the expense of Kelsey Clifford, who scored two tries in the win over Scotland.

Fly-half Zoe Harrison and second row Abbie Ward both start after being on the bench for the quarter-final, with Holly Aitchison and Rosie Galligan dropping down to the replacements.

Team: Kildunne; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Kabeya, Matthews

Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Feaunati, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland

Back row forward Axelle Berthoumieu misses the semi-final after being banned for nine matches for biting, while co-captain and lock Manae Feleu is also suspended following a dangerous tackle in the win over Ireland.

Teani Feleu, the younger sister of Manae, and Hina Ikahehegi both come into the pack, with the influential Charlotte Escudero moving from number eight to blindside flanker.

Carla Arbez starts at fly-half in place of Lina Queyroi, who has failed to recover from concussion.

Captain Marine Menager moves from outside centre to left wing, with Nassira Konde coming into the XV.

Wing Joanna Grisez had to withdraw from the starting XV on Friday and was replaced by Kelly Arbey, with Boulard filling the vacant seat on the bench.

Team: Bourgeois; Arbey, Konde, Vernier, M Menager (capt); Arbez, Bourdon Sansus; Brosseau, Gerin, Bernadou, Fall Raclot, Ikahehegi, Squire, L Champon, T Feleu.

Replacements: Riffonneau, Deshaye, Khalfaoui, Maka, Okemba, A Chambon, Tuy, Boulard.

Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Clara Munarini (Italy) and Kat Roche (USA)

Television match official: Rachel Horton (Australia)

If the teams are tied at full time the match will go into sudden death extra time.

There are two halves of 10 minutes allocated and the first team to score any points will win the match.

If there is still no winner after the sudden death period, a kicking competition involving five players from each side will take place.

The final takes place at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 27 September.

The match kicks off at 16:00 BST and will be shown live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Tickets for the match at the 82,000 capacity stadium have sold out.