Photo by Sergey Omelchenko on Unsplash
It was heartbreak for France and New Zealand over the weekend as they saw their hopes of Women’s World Cup glory slip away.
France were without Axelle Berthoumieu following her 12 match ban for biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafer during their quarter-final clash. The flanker was a huge loss for ‘Les Bleues’ in the semi-final clash vs England.
England’s Ellie Kildunne was a crucial asset to her side, returning to the squad, following a quarter‑final exemption due to a concussion.
Kildunne’s killer impact came in the form of two tries that proved vital to the shift in the game.
“Ellie is absolutely electric; she can make something out of nothing,” said English Captain, Zoe Aldcroft following her teams victory on Saturday
France ebbed and flowed throughout the game, with an inconsistency that betrayed the magnitude of the occasion. Tries from Kelly Arbey and Nassira Konde just weren’t enough to close the gap.
It was clear that the strength of England’s bench, fitness and overall physicality in the latter stages were paramount on their road to victory.
In the other semi final, Canada produced a dominant first half, scoring several tries and securing themselves a strong lead going in to the 2nd half. New Zealand fought back, but couldn’t manage to overturn the lead their opposition had built.
Justine Pelletier and Asia Hogan‑Rochester were just some of the power houses at Canada’s disposal on Friday, the pair could have a pivotal impact in their Final clash with England on Saturday the 27th of September at 4pm in Twickenham.
Photo by Billy Brodzinski on Unsplash
This is Canada’s first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup final, making this a historic moment for the team and for their country. They also had the honour of knocking out the reigning champions on their road to the final.
England return to the final following the heartbreak of 2022, where they narrowly lost to New Zealand. The Red Roses will certainly be seeking redemption and a chance at reclaiming a title that hasn’t been theirs since 2014.
Women’s sport has never been as important as it is right now. We live in a generation of social media, news coverage and an ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ mentality.
This Women’s Rugby World Cup has seen more coverage, larger attendances and greater investment than ever before. It is just a stepping stone on the long road to equality.
“We’ve seen more than 300,000 fans inside the stadiums, more than double the attendance we had in the last World Cup in New Zealand-” said Alan Gilpin, CEO, World Rugby, in an address to the media to discuss the four-year vision for the women’s game.
Those who pull on their national jersey represent their country with pride and carry their nation’s hopes on their shoulders. This is a chance for both teams to inspire a new generation of young women to play rugby.
So will England’s experience and depth carry them to victory on the day, or will Canada’s momentum and belief see them emerge victorious for the first time?
Statistically, the odds are very much in England’s favour but fans can rest assured that Canada won’t take this opportunity for granted.
Stats from Rugby World Cup Website https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2025/en/match/winner-sf1-v-winner-sf2-final#info
Either way, the 2025 final promises to be a physical, determined and down to the wire final!
Word Count: 581 words
You must be logged in to post a comment.