Heraldo de Madrid - Five players to watch at the Women's Rugby World Cup

Below AFP Sport looks at five players who could make a significant mark upon what is set to be the best attended and most watched Women's Rugby World Cup of them all:

JORJA MILLER (New Zealand)

The World Sevens player of the year and a gold medallist from the 2024 Olympic Sevens in Paris, Miller has limited experience in the 15-a-side game but such is her quality she has still forced her way into reigning world champions New Zealand's squad.

The 21-year-old flanker's pace, power and rugby intelligence has even seen her keep co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu out of the starting side at times, a sure sign of the regard in which she is held by Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting.

MAUD MUIR (England)

England's backs may grab most of the headlines with their try-scoring exploits but one reason why the tournament hosts are the favourites to win the event is the strength of their pack.

In Muir, a veteran of 42 Tests, they boast an outstanding tight-head prop who has been a cornerstone of their two most recent Six Nations successes.

EMMA WASSELL (Scotland)

There are many stories of players overcoming major challenges to feature at this World Cup, but even by those standards Scotland's Emma Wassell has an impressive tale to tell.

Last September a benign, but large, tumour was discovered in the chest of the 30-year-old Scotland second row, with several operations required to remove it, including the collapsing of a lung.

Wassell was already coping with the grief of suddenly losing her mother, Pauline, when she received the chest tumour diagnosis.

"Getting through what happened with my mum -- everything in comparison felt easy," said Wassell.

SOPHIE DE GOEDE (Canada)

The daughter of two former Canada captains, De Goede knows plenty about resilience given she is a member of a side who, although they represent one of the biggest threats to powerhouses England and New Zealand, have also had to seek financial support from their own fans ahead of the World Cup.

Recovered from a severe knee injury, De Goede has been both a line-out caller and a goal-kicker at Test level. She also looked back to her best at lock in Canada's final warm-up game against Ireland.

CLAUDIA PENA (Spain)

Spain were once a signficant force in the European women's game, but suffered from effectively being forced out of the Six Nations in part because their men have never featured in the corresponding competition.

But having missed out on the last World Cup, they now return to the top table with 20-year-old back Claudia Pena, who starred alongside England's Ellie Kildunne for Harlequins in Premiership Women's Rugby last season looking to cement her status as a rising star of the women's game.

N.Calero--HdM