England defeat Canada to win Women's Rugby World Cup in front of record Twickenham crowd

England finally delivered on the biggest stage as they powered past Canada 33-13 at Twickenham to claim their third Women’s Rugby World Cup title on an unforgettable day for the sport. Roared on by a record 81,885 spectators, the Red Roses erased the pain of their heartbreaking 2022 final defeat to New Zealand and underlined their dominance with a commanding performance.

Having won 62 of their previous 63 matches across six years, England ensured there would be no repeat of past disappointments as they stormed into a 21-8 halftime lead and never looked back. The victory stretched their remarkable winning run to 33 matches and added another crown to their triumphs in 1994 and 2014.

"These girls are awesome," said head coach John Mitchell. "Three years ago we set about doing something and we finally took the last few steps today. I think 2022 taught us a lot. We knew we would be good at the rugby but at the end of the day I think our culture won, with the values that have guided us to this point. We can dominate the world for a long time but the world's going to get better, so this is just the start."

England’s star players rose to the occasion once again. Ellie Kildunne thrilled the crowd with a dazzling try, Amy Cokayne and Abbie Ward powered over from the driving maul, while number eight Alex Matthews scored twice in her fourth World Cup final. Sadia Kabeya was named player of the match for a tireless display. "It's amazing. Thank you to everyone who came out here today. It's a pinch-me moment. It's been years and years in the making, I am so happy we could pull it off," she said.

Scrumhalf Natasha Hunt captured the emotion of the moment. "This is unimaginable. I am so proud of the girls. I hope this stays for women's rugby," she said, as the Twickenham stands reverberated with a high-pitched rendition of “Swing Low” led by thousands of young fans.

Canada, who had stunned New Zealand in the semi-finals, struck first through Asia Hogan-Rochester after just five minutes, but despite their spirit and two tries from Hogan-Rochester, they could not withstand England’s relentless power. Head coach Kevin Rouet praised his players after the loss. "It's frustrating for us because we know we didn't play our best game," he admitted. "But I'm very proud of what they did, the sacrifice they made for three years just to get there. It was just missing 80 minutes of good rugby for us to be world champions."

As England celebrated with family and fans, the result was hailed as a landmark moment for women’s rugby, capping a tournament that shattered records and raised the profile of the game to unprecedented levels.

SportsLigue