The ‘Red Roses’ Seek to Consolidate Their Dominance at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup
Amidst the anticipation and the rain, England’s ‘Red Roses’ finalized their preparations at the Stadium of Light, with their sights set on the start of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. The pressure is high for the English team, which arrives at the tournament as a clear favorite.
With an enviable record of only one defeat in their last 60 matches and a streak of 26 consecutive victories, England faces the challenge of maintaining its hegemony. However, 15 teams will seek to snatch the title from them in the next five weeks, in what promises to be the biggest World Cup to date.
The demand for tickets has been remarkable, with approximately 80% of the tickets already sold. To put it in perspective, in 2017, just over 45,000 tickets were sold for the entire tournament. The opening match between England and the United States in Sunderland is expected to attract a similar crowd.
This World Cup will mark a turning point, where the ‘Red Roses’ will seek to consolidate their status or be victims of a monumental surprise. It will be the tournament of figures like Ilona Maher from the United States, the talented Ellie Kildunne and the legendary Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. It will also be the stage for young promises like Waiaria Ellis from Australia and Jorja Miller from New Zealand.The World Cup will merge professionals, semi-professionals and amateurs, extending throughout England, from Sunderland to Brighton.
World Rugby seeks a different tournament, prioritizing personality over the male model. Each team will have content creators to bring fans closer to the players and new role models. There will be a significant increase in female coaches (32% versus 15% in 2021), and the final at Twickenham will have female staff in all areas.
The Lionesses’ success in Switzerland has paved the way for a golden summer for women’s sport in the UK. The pressure is on the ‘Red Roses’, who, if they don’t win the tournament, would suffer a setback. Some players have never experienced a defeat, while others only remember the 2022 final against New Zealand as a point of reference for disappointment. The English team has great depth, an excellent captain like Zoe Aldcroft, and the talented Meg Jones.
Kildunne and other players are expected to become household names, just like Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly or Ella Toone in other sports. The coaching staff includes Sarah Hunter, captain in 2017 and 2021, as defense coach.
Demand for tickets to the Women’s Rugby World Cup skyrockets after the success of the Lionesses.
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Team lists, matches and standings for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Although logic indicates that England should win, pressure can generate unexpected results. The team focuses on “cohesion”, according to John Mitchell, who also acknowledges the responsibility of succeeding at home. The goal is to reach the top of rugby, but the meaning of this journey is also important. For captain Aldcroft, the tournament should be the starting point for significant growth in interest in the sport.Canada and New Zealand are also emerging as possible contenders. Canada, currently number 2 in the world, has the outstanding player Sophie de Goede. New Zealand, the Black Ferns, are the current champions and have won six of the last seven world titles, with Woodman-Wickliffe back in their ranks.
Australia, although less successful in XV than in sevens, will seek to advance to the playoffs with the young Ellis, but without the injured Caslick. The host nations also have their aspirations. Ireland aims for the semifinals, but without key players. Wales is in an adaptation phase under the new coach Sean Lynn.
Scotland faces contractual challenges with its Rugby Union. In short, the situation is not ideal.
“My goal as captain is to make my players feel like superwomen, to feel valued and to belong,” said Scottish captain Rachel Malcolm in July. “And the processes that have been carried out behind the scenes have done almost the opposite of those three things, so they have definitely made my job a little more difficult.”
Brazil will participate in its first Women’s XV World Cup, while Fiji will be in its second edition. There are inspiring stories, and the amateur status of many players mixes the everyday with the exceptional. Vergara from Brazil is a cheerleader/tattoo artist, DeMerchant from Canada is a firefighter, and Foaese from Samoa is a social worker and mother of three.
South Africa also has a distinguished history, with Mary Zulu, who was abandoned at birth and is now one of the team’s two openers. They will face France, who will seek to go far in the tournament. On the other hand, Maher and the United States arrive with Maher as the most followed player on social media in rugby.
Maher is the central figure of this World Cup, after obtaining the Olympic bronze medal in Paris 2024. He will face England in Sunderland, where the United States is the underdog team. This match will be the starting point for five weeks of rugby that is expected to boost the sport globally. World Rugby has published a report with key actions for the growth of women’s rugby, including visibility, empowerment of players, talent development, and the acquisition of new fans.The tournament will focus on the sport like never before, especially on the hostesses. England’s motto is “For the girls”. Although victory seems predestined, the unpredictability of sport always offers unexpected twists. England hopes to lift the trophy at Twickenham on September 27, but there are 15 other nations that will seek to change history.
