England beats Canada to win Women’s Rugby World Cup

Team Canada writer Hayley McGolderick talks about the record-breaking match, the standout moments, and more.

LONDON — England finally has a Women’s Rugby World Cup title to confirm its world domination after outclassing Canada 33-13 in front of a record crowd at Twickenham on Saturday.

Victory by five tries to three capped an astonishing World Cup cycle in which England won every match, 33 in a row, the greatest streak in international rugby.

England had lost the last two finals, and five of the last six.

But this final, drawing 81,885 people, the largest crowd in women’s rugby history, was a showcase of England’s power and pace and gave the tournament host its third World Cup title after triumphs in 1994 and 2014.

Canada bossed everyone, including defending champion New Zealand in the semifinals, en route to its first final in 11 years, validating its No. 2 ranking and unbeaten run this year.

But the best offloading team in the tournament couldn’t get its game going, crashing into England’s defense.

England saved its best performance for its most important match since the 2022 World Cup final, when it last tasted defeat. In fact, that loss to New Zealand by 34-31 is England’s only loss in six years.

England set the tone for the final at the first scrum, shoving Canada backward. The English outmuscled Canada all afternoon.

And yet, as it has in every game, Canada scored first, glitter-faced right wing Alex Hogan-Rochester from a two-on-one.

The lead lasted only three minutes. Fullback Ellie Kildunne, out of nothing, broke a tackle, stepped a couple more and scorched the cover to score behind the posts.

Canada tried running from its own try-line, knocked on in its half, and England turned it into pressure and another lineout drive try for hooker Amy Cokayne, who scored three similar tries in the 2022 final.

An intercept on halfway by Tatyana Heard was the origin of England’s next try, by No. 8 Alex Matthews, playing in her fourth straight final.

Canada had to score next and laid siege to England’s try-line, but the ball was poached by England captain Zoe Aldcroft. An admission to its struggle to break England’s lines was Canada’s decision to kick a penalty while 21-5 down.

That conceded ground from the kickoff to England, which earned a penalty and set up another lineout drive. But a second try for Cokayne was chalked off because of obstruction. Still, England finished the half on top when prop Hannah Botterman got her second jackal penalty and roared in delight.

The second half was more of the same. Lock Abbie Ward scored after a Matthews burst from a five-meter scrum.

Hogan-Rochester got her second try for Canada while Botterman was in the sin-bin, but a second period of sustained pressure by Canada died from a knock-on in front of the England posts, making Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney put his head in his hands.

England put the finishing touches on a powerful win when a spiral bomb spun back into its hands and Matthews ended up scoring her second try.

By Foster Niumata.