England vs Canada: Women’s Rugby Final, Repeat or Surprise?

Women’s Rugby World Cup Final: England vs. Canada

The expected moment has arrived: a packed Twickenham, the two best teams facing each other, 80 minutes of battle and only one winner. Only one will be on the podium on Saturday night, while the other will watch from a few meters away, wondering what could have been. England and Canada have faced each other in a previous final, in the 2014 edition in Ireland, where the Red Roses won the tournament for the last time. Canada, for its part, has never won the competition. Repeat or revenge in London? Here are the key points before Saturday’s main event.

England, favorite by how much?

Although England is the favorite, the distance is not abysmal. The English women have their title to lose. With an undefeated streak of 32 matches, the Red Roses are the best team on the planet, without discussion. They have the necessary tools to win this tournament and the support of their fans. They have fulfilled what was required during the tournament and the experience of a very close semi-final will make them ready for Saturday. They have a team with world-class players, including the outstanding Megan Jones and Ellie Kildunne in the backs. However, it will be their forwards who will decide the course of Saturday’s match. Their rolling maul is astonishingly destructive, and they have the two best front rows in world rugby. If the match becomes a game of attrition, England will win.

England head coach John Mitchell talks about the challenges they face as favorites for the Rugby World Cup final against Canada. On paper, the difference should be considerable, but the semi-finals, both Canada’s resounding victory over New Zealand and England’s close match with France, have tempered the idea of an easy victory for the English women. The best thing for everyone, regardless of the result, is a close match. Everything will come down to how England handles the expectation. Kildunne said after the semi-final that they have been preparing for this moment for three years. Now it comes down to 80 minutes. The week must be perfect and the players cannot get carried away by the occasion. If England achieves this, they should lift the trophy at the end.

How can Canada surprise?

Canada is a brilliant rugby team. Their semi-final triumph over the Black Ferns was one of the most remarkable performances we have seen in recent times. It was a phenomenal 360-degree performance with breakneck ruck speed, staunch defense, imaginative attack, and varied kicking game. In addition, they have the best player in the tournament, Sophie de Goede, the second row who can also force turnovers and escape defenders. In short, this match is going to be tight. Their coach, Kèvin Rouet, offers a player-led environment and the team has thrived. Let’s not forget that all this comes from a trip partially funded by the fans, where they raised nearly 1 million Canadian dollars to help their progress in England, under the campaign entitled: “Win the 2025 Rugby World Cup”. They are one step away from a dream final. Canada needs to do what it did against the Black Ferns, but with a whole new intensity. New Zealand couldn’t handle their defense and ruck speed, but Canada will have to be faster and more physical against the Red Roses. They need to silence the fans as best they can. The start is also vital. Despite conceding an early try, France’s resilience in the first half was very important. If Canada can replicate that and get some individual moments from De Goede, fullback Julia Schell or scrum-half Justine Pelletier, then the match will be on.

What would winning mean for each team?

Throughout the World Cup, England has spoken of approaching each match without losing sight of the great expectation. They are fully aware of their status as tournament favorites and the pressure that entails. There is also the added weight of the importance of legacy, and what a victory could mean for women’s rugby in the country. There is a lot at stake, but England has shown a cool head at all times and, if they can stick to their processes, a phrase frequently used by John Mitchell, everything should go well. In short, this will mean a lot: they will be able to breathe with the pressure off, bury some previous demons and also rest knowing that they achieved their pre-tournament goal. For Canada, given the title of their crowdfunding campaign, this would be an amazing achievement. They are the second-best team in the world according to the official ranking, so this would be a surprise. But since they have partially funded their campaign in England, this would be an incredible moment for the sport in that part of the world. Canada has never won the tournament before. The closest they came was reaching the 2014 final, where they faced England. They have the players, but stopping England is the most difficult task in the sport. It will mean a lot to both teams for very different reasons. It’s the tournament the Red Roses are destined to win since England was announced as the host. There is the fact that they have been in six consecutive finals with only one victory. A significant amount of money has been invested, with reason, in the women’s program, and a victory would demonstrate to other nations that this is what it takes to claim the most important prizes.