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The Matildas will keep training to a minimum ahead of their huge Women's World Cup semi-final against England.

With heavy legs and bruised bodies attempting to back up again, it could be the key to claiming a spot in the final.

The brief four-day turnaround between the mentally and physically draining quarter-final triumph over France - which went to 120 minutes plus penalties - and Wednesday's final-four clash at Stadium Australia, means recovery is a key objective.

Time on the pitch has been replaced by meetings, time in the gym, tactical work and treatment.

"What is good is that we have continuity with what we are doing and clear playing styles," coach Tony Gustavsson said.

"We don't really need to train to be tactically prepared.

"It is more about making sure we are mentally and physically prepared for the semi-final coming up. These players are on a mission."

Katrina Gorry, Alanna Kennedy, Clare Hunt, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Mackenzie Arnold, and Kyra Cooney-Cross have played at least 476 minutes of a possible 480.

Hayley Raso, Mary Fowler and Emily van Egmond have also been busy, while Sam Kerr played 65 of her 75 minutes to date against France.

England only needed 90 minutes to complete a 2-1 comeback win over Colombia but previously went to penalties against Nigeria.

Between injuries, suspension and a formation change, England have rotated more.

Only Alex Greenwood, Mary Earps and Millie Bright have played every minute but Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway and Rachel Daly have also carried significant loads.

It makes the question of who can go the distance, if required, an intriguing proposition.

Catley had a compression bandage on her right thigh on arrival in Sydney on Sunday.

On Saturday night, Cooney-Cross had one of her shins iced after a nasty challenge early in the game.

"It's just using years of hard work, years and years of running and conditioning and everything that you know, you've put in the work and prepared for, it prepares you for moments like that," Catley told reporters.

"You can fall back on the work that you've done, and I've done plenty of it and so has every other girl out there and I think that's what it comes down to.

"It's the work you've put in and the understanding of each other and helping each other, and if someone's struggling someone else steps in and helps.

"So that's where we are as a team right now and everyone's there for each other. If one person falls down, the next steps up and it's very, very special."

While the players recover, the country continues to be gripped by Matildas fever.

The Boomers men's national basketball team will bring forward their game against Brazil at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday from 7.45pm to 5.30pm to allow fans to watch the Matildas.

AAMI Park will be opened up as a secondary live site in the city besides Federation Square.

Parramatta's Commbank Stadium, the Sydney Football Stadium and HBF Park are also showing the match.

© AAP 2023

Everyone is talking about Australia's rivalry with England - except the Matildas.

A monster Women's World Cup semi-final against the old enemy has understandably evoked memories of various Ashes triumphs, or the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

Even England's Dutch manager, Sarina Wiegman, has said she's determined to get to grips with the rivalry ahead of Wednesday night's clash at Stadium Australia.

But the Matildas are happy to leave the animosity to others.

"Obviously you see it in the men's competitions, especially in cricket and rugby," goalkeeper Lydia Williams told reporters.

"But for us, we've had so many rivalries with other countries that we've played against. We've played against Brazil at every other World Cup.

"So you could say that (about Brazil), you could say that about America, you could say that about so many countries. So really, for us it's just another game.

"All the like extra stuff of rivalries, it doesn't really come about.

"If anything, it's to prove a point that we can make the final and represent Australia that way."

Midfielder Tameka Yallop added with a laugh: "The biggest internal rivalry is probably New Zealand still.

"But within the team right now, our mindset is to be the best you've got to beat the best so for us, England are right up there and so the other teams in the semi-finals as well.

"We're at that stage in our game and in our mindset that we can beat the best and we've shown it before and it's all about going out and doing it in this game."

Yallop started when Australia beat England 2-0 in a friendly in April - the Lionesses only loss under Wiegman.

Australia have also beaten fellow semi-finalists Spain and Sweden in friendlies over the past two years.

"It gives us belief. It does show that we can beat the top teams," Yallop said.

"There's a major difference between tournament football and friendlies.

"There's just that added extra competitiveness, desire, drive, all that sort of stuff that goes into knockout games in a major tournament.

"While we can take some positives from the friendlies, we're going into this as a brand new game and something that requires its own focus."

Williams, Yallop and other teammates like Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley, have also played with and against England's stars in the Women's Super League.

"We play against them, we know what (their) tendencies are, versing them week in, week out and watching them," Williams said.

"So it's more of a chess match and how you get the better of each other.

"At the end of the day you want to do the best for your country and I think the friend part we'll probably put to put to bed for a little bit."

The Matildas have been in recovery mode since Saturday night's mentally and physically draining quarter-final triumph over France.

On Saturday night, Kyra Cooney-Cross had one of her shins iced after a nasty challenge early in the game.

Catley had a compression bandage on her right thigh on arrival in Sydney on Sunday but Yallop insisted the vice-captain was OK.

© AAP 2023

State governments are facing pressure to cut levies and duties on insurance in a bid to make it more affordable.

Analysis from the Actuaries Institute has underlined the severity of Australia's insurance affordability crisis, with the median home premium experiencing its biggest jump in two decades.

In the 12 months to March, home insurance premiums surged 28 per cent.

Insurers have been pushing up prices for a few reasons - the cost of building work has surged because of supply chain shortages and climate change is fuelling more frequent natural disasters and jacking up reinsurance costs.

Costs have been rising for everyone but covering the risk of floods has become particularly expensive, with low-income households most likely to be living in disaster-prone areas and shouldering the burden.

The Actuaries Institute recommended better flood mapping and moving people out of harm's way.

Overhauling land-use planning and strengthening building codes so all new homes are built to withstand the impacts of climate change would improve the situation.

The Insurance Council says action can be taken by state and territory governments to relieve pressure on prices.

Stamp duty and other state taxes on insurance can add 10 to 40 per cent to the cost of a premium depending on the state or territory.

NSW is the worst state for insurance taxes, with the additional emergency services levy adding around 18 per cent to home insurance premiums, the council says.

"Insurers understand that people are hurting right now as cost of living pressures weigh heavy on monthly budgets, which is why addressing insurance affordability is a critical issue for our industry," council CEO Andrew Hall said.

"State governments in particular can provide immediate relief on insurance costs by reforming their insurance taxes.

"With responsibility for land use planning, state governments must also urgently change our approach to what we build and where we build it so future home owners are not left stranded without insurance cover."

Finity Consulting actuary Sharanjit Paddam said insurance would get less affordable because of climate change and leave more households with no other choice but to go without.

The issue of insurance affordability is on the federal government's radar, with Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones launching an investigation into the matter in the context of devastating floods in 2022.

The Actuaries Institute said an insurance or reinsurance pool for riverine flooding could also be considered.

"If the government was to give consideration to an insurance pool, any future model would need to consider the fact that flood risk is highly localised in Australia among a relatively small number of households with significant exposure," Swiss Re actuary Evelyn Chow said.

The 2022 extreme weather events resulted in almost $7 billion in insured losses.

Northern NSW farmer Peter Lake dealt with major floods in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2021, but he said nothing could prepare him for the February 2022 event.

"We lost fences and fodder and were forced to sell most of our stock. Even when the waters receded we were flood free but not mud free. We battled mud for months," he said.

Mr Lake, a member of Farmers for Climate Action was quoted $19,000 a year to insure his farm.

"We've had to weigh up not insuring our farm equipment, sheds and fences. We're only insuring the house and a horse float now," he said.

He said urgent action was needed to reduce emissions.

© AAP 2023