The Red Roses bloom to become World Champions
The Red Roses are the new World Champions, after successfully beating Canada 33-13 in a final attended by 82,000 fans, marking a new record for the sport.
At the Allianz Twickenham Stadium, John Mitchell’s side were able to quickly counter the Maple Leafs’ early lead, following a spectacular solo try from Ellie Kildunne, setting up the tone for the remainder of the match.
While everyone expected a tight affair, the Red Roses' forward pack had other plans and took control of the ball, pressuring their opposition into committing a series of errors that ultimately led to Canada’s demise.
Hooker Amy Cokayne was the next in line to get into the scoresheet, followed by number-eight Alex Matthews, who would earn a brace before the game’s conclusion.
21-07 was the score at the break, with England’s clinical performance making a difference, which would extend into the game’s final half.
The home side seemed even more pumped after the short rest, setting up good attacking patterns that would pay off at the 50th minute, as Abbie Ward came crashing down inside the try-area to extend England’s lead.
Three minutes later, Asia Hogan-Rochester completed a superb team play, with Canada’s wing scoring her 5th try of the tournament.
Although the North American nation seemed to have found itself again, England's resolute defence blocked any chance of a Canadian comeback, completing six turnovers in the game's last quarter.
With the game nearing its closure, the hosts would claim a fifth try again by number-eight Alex Matthews, putting an end to the scoreline changes.
As match official Hollie Davidson blew the whistle for full-time, England secured their third World title, following their victories in 1994 and 2014. This was the Red Roses 33 successive Test wins, a World Record for a Test Match side.
England captain Zoe Aldcroft expressed her delight at achieving her team's long-held World Cup goal.
"It's absolutely unbelievable, to do it here at home. I am just so proud of every single one of those girls. We smashed it out there today and I can't thank the girls enough for putting their bodies on the line. There are 82,000 people here. I can't thank them enough, and everyone watching at home."
"Part of our journey was inspiring those young girls. We talked about reinventing women's rugby. We want to inspire so many young girls to pick up a rugby ball or a football and do anything they want in the world. If you dream big enough you can get it, and we dreamed big enough today."
Bronzed Ferns
Concerning the bronze match, the Black Ferns were the better side in their encounter with France, as the former World Champions emphatically beat their European rivals 42-26.
Pauline Bourdon Sansus was the first to add her name to the scoreboard, in what would be France’s only first-half points, as New Zealand regained control of the game’s tempo and ball flow.
The 4-time World Champions banked four tries before the break, following tries from Devon Demant, Logo-I-Pulotu Brunt, Renee Holmes and Laura Bayfield.
In the first 20 minutes of the second half, Breakthrough Player of the Year Braxton Sorensen-McGee claimed her team’s 5th and 6th try, pushing the scoreline to a 32-point margin advantage. Playing just for their pride, France went on searching for a way back into the game, and although they weren’t able to pull a memorable comeback, the Les Bleues scored three tries before full-time.
In quick succession, Léa Champon, Gabby Vernier and Émilie Boulard reached the in-goal area, narrowing down New Zealand’s lead to a 13-point margin.
With the clock reaching the red, the Black Ferns slotted a final penalty conversion before claiming the bronze medal at the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
Marine Ménager, in her final appearance as captain for France, expressed confidence in the future of Les Bleues and how they can reach the World Stage’s top.
"We need to continue to believe in ourselves. A good example would be Canada three years ago. They have been in that same position, continued working hard and today they are playing in the final. We have a very young team who need to keep believing in themselves so maybe in the next World Cup we will be in the final."
By Francisco Isaac
Photos by Alex Davidson & George Wood
