England and Canada head into Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham carrying the weight of unfinished business from 2022.
England’s 34–31 loss to hosts New Zealand in the last final snapped their dominance and left them still chasing a first title in 11 years. Canada fell 26–19 to England in the semifinal, a defeat that still stings for captain Sophie de Goede. “There was no difference in talent out there today,” she said at the time. “Just imagine what we can do with more games and more resources.”
Three years on, Canada believes it has both.
More than half the squad play their club rugby in England, with others in France and New Zealand. Six players bring sevens pedigree from last year’s Olympic silver and world series bronze campaigns. Twenty-one return from 2022, alongside coach Kevin Rouet.
Rouet, who stepped up from assistant before the last World Cup, says Canada thrives on hard work over resources. “They don’t care if I don’t cuddle them sometimes, they want the straight feedback,” he said. “They’re excited and fun but also focused.”
Rugby Canada backed the buildup with a C$1 million fundraising drive dubbed Mission: Win Rugby World Cup 2025. Pledges covered training camps in California, Ontario and Belfast, plus Tests in South Africa and Ireland.
De Goede’s return from a year-long ACL layoff in July was pivotal. She leads the tournament in carries, offloads and lineout wins, and has added 55 points as a goalkicking forward. She is also up for World Player of the Year.
Canada’s campaign has sparked record support at home. A 11,453 crowd in Ottawa sent them off in August, while Shania Twain posted a good luck message that had fullback Julia Schell “freaking out.”
On the field, Canada has swept all before them. They beat Fiji, Wales and Scotland in pool play, then crushed Australia 46–5 in the quarterfinals. The semifinal was their statement: a first-ever knockout win over New Zealand, ending the Black Ferns’ 34-year run.
“It’s a fact we have a very fast attack,” captain Alex Tessier said. “We’ve built depth since the last World Cup and it’s shown. When we connect, it’s beautiful.”
England, meanwhile, arrive with 62 wins from 63 matches since 2019 and a burning need to erase the memory of 2022. Canada is chasing its first crown after falling short in its only previous final in 2014.
One side will bury the ghosts of 2022. The other will carry them forward.
LINE UPS
England: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Abbie Ward, 6 Zoe Aldcroft (c), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Alex Matthews REPLACEMENTS: 16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Kelsey Clifford, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Rosie Galligan, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Helena Rowland
Canada: 15. Julia Schell, 14. Alysha Corrigan, 13. Florence Symonds, 12.Alexandra Tessier, 11. Asia Hogan- Rochester, 10. Taylor Perry, 9. Justine Pelletier, 8. Fabiola Forteza, 7. Karen Paquin, 6. Caroline Crossley, 5. Courtney O’Donnell, 4. Sophie de Goede, 3. DaLeaka Menin, 2. Emily Tutosi, 1. McKinely Hunt REPLACEMENTS 16. Gillian Boag,17. Brittany Kassil,18. Olivia DeMerchant,19. Tyson Beukeboom,20. Laetitia Royer,21. Gabrielle Senft, 22. Olivia Apps, 23. Shoshanah Seumanutafa
English