New Zealand's Carla Hohepa, left, runs with the ball during the Women's Rugby World Cup semifinal match against the United States in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Tuesday Aug. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
New Zealand's Carla Hohepa, left, runs with the ball during the Women's Rugby World Cup semifinal match against the United States in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Tuesday Aug. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Credit: ap — Peter Morrison

Belfast, Northern Ireland — England will defend the Women’s Rugby World Cup in the final against four-time winner New Zealand after beating France, 20-3, on Tuesday. New Zealand’s Black Ferns crushed the United States, 45-12, in the other semifinal.

The final is on Saturday in Belfast. The Black Ferns, who have never lost a final, beat England in three of them.

Winger Portia Woodman scored four of the Black Ferns’ seven tries, improving her tournament-leading tally to 13. Her first try was the best, a sensational solo effort from scrum ball 40 meters out. She broke four tackles in a weaving run to the posts.

After a competitive first half, in which the Eagles forced turnovers at the breakdowns, New Zealand applied all of the pressure in the second half.

The Eagles, their lineout in disarray, finally succumbed in the last quarter, conceding four tries, two while they had an extra player when New Zealand replacement Linda Itunu was yellow-carded for a head-high tackle.

England won a match of attrition in the rain. The English made nearly 50 tackles in the first quarter alone to withstand a French siege.

College Football

Army-Navy Set for Philly

Philadelphia — The Army-Navy football game will be played in Philadelphia four times from 2018-2022, returning to its most frequent host city.

The academies announced on Tuesday at Philadelphia’s City Hall that Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Eagles, will be the site of the 2018, ’19, ’20 and ’22 Army-Navy games.

Army-Navy already is scheduled this season for Philadelphia, where the rivals have met 86 times, including the first meeting at Penn’s Franklin Field in 1899. The game usually draws a sellout crowd, and city organizers estimate an economic impact of more than $30 million.

The 2021 Army-Navy game would be the fifth played in East Rutherford, N.J.

Horse Racing

Saratoga Seeks Horse Safety

Saratoga Springs, n.y. — Additional safety measures are being implemented at Saratoga Race Course after the deaths of 17 horses on the grounds so far this year.

The state’s Gaming Commission announced on Monday that the enhanced measures include more veterinarians at the track during training hours.

The agency said the steps are being taken along with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the New York Racing Association, which operates Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct.

The 17 horse deaths as of Monday are one more than the 2016 total. This year’s deaths include eight on the main track or turf course and at the Oklahoma Track, the training facility.

Eight others have occurred during races since the season began on July 21. The other death was a non-racing fatality.