RWC2025: England v Canada - teams and prediction
LONDON – After several weeks of thrilling women’s rugby, a new world champion will be crowned when England face Canada in the Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.
It’s been a long road for both sides, and the showdown feels like a fitting climax between the world’s top two-ranked teams.
England, ranked No.1 and hosting the tournament, will contest their seventh consecutive Final after overcoming France in last week’s semifinal.
The Red Roses are chasing a third World Cup title and enter the decider as clear favourites. They’ve strung together a world-record 32 straight Test wins and remain the most well-resourced team in the women’s game, with the Rugby Football Union reporting revenues of £175.2 million ($233.6m) for the 2023/24 financial year.
Canada’s story could not be more different. Their campaign has been powered by grit, determination and even crowdfunding, with £1.4m of union support boosted by nearly £540,000 from external backers.
That spirit carried them past defending champions New Zealand in the semifinal, earning just their second-ever final appearance after falling to England in 2014.
Back then, England triumphed 21-9 in Paris. This time, Canada believe they’re better prepared.
“It’s definitely a different position we’re in now,” said lock Tyson Beukeboom, a bench player in 2014.
“In 2014 we surprised a lot of people. But I don’t think anyone who’s been watching us in the last couple of years is surprised that we’ve managed to make the final this time around.”
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That confidence has been bolstered by exposure to major competitions, including the Olympics, and recent matches in front of huge crowds. Canada played before 24,500 fans last weekend and will now step into the roar of 82,000 at Twickenham.
“A conversation that me and Karen Paquin had was just how much more experienced we are, even with our young girls on the team.
“They’re coming off the back of an Olympics where they were in the final.
“Last weekend we played in front of 24,500 people, and then we’re going into a game with 82,000 people and we really haven’t had to have conversations about the number of eyes that are going to be on us. It’s almost background noise.
“Compared to 2014, I was sitting on the bench thinking, please do not put me in this game! And we had probably under 10 people that had been to a World Cup.
“We had 16 or 17 players that had been capped within that year. So the experience is vastly different. We have that confidence and experience behind us which is really exciting.”
For England, redemption is on the line. Captain Zoe Aldcroft says the Red Roses are determined to erase the heartbreak of 2022, when their 30-match winning streak ended with a narrow 34-31 defeat to New Zealand in the Auckland Final.
“We have been working on this for three years,” Aldcroft said.
“We’re so excited to get out there in front of a packed Twickenham.
“It’s something we’ve never experienced but wanted for so long. The momentum and the impact that we have had on fans throughout the tournament, it’s going to be so exciting to see where we have pushed women’s rugby to and to be part of this new era of women’s rugby on Saturday.”
Aldcroft also praised Canada’s progress.
“The amount they’ve improved and their ball speed is very quick. They’ve just been playing very exciting rugby and it’s very exciting to play them on Saturday.”
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The third-place play-off between losing semifinalists New Zealand and France takes place before the Final.
Although some will view this match as insignificant, for France and New Zealand it is a chance to finish strong.
“This game is massive for us, we had a pretty tough finish last week and we have an opportunity now to play for our country,” Black Ferns head coach Allan Bunting said.
“We’ve got everything to play for. We’ve got a real opportunity to get up there and show them what these ladies can do.”
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England v Canada
(Twickenham Stadium, London – Kick-off: 16.00;15.00 GMT; 11.00 EDT)
Prediction
@Rugby365: England’s depth, experience, and record-breaking form make them favourites on home soil. Canada’s physicality and fearless approach will test the Red Roses, but sustained pressure and clinical finishing should see the hosts through. Therefore we predict England by five points.
Teams:
England: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Natasha Hunt, 8 Alex Matthews, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 6 Zoe Aldcroft, 5 Rosie Galligan, 4 Morwenna Talling, 3 Maud Muir, 2 Amy Cokayne, 1 Hannah Botterman.
Replacements: 16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Kelsey Clifford, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Rosie Galligan, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Lucy Packer, 22 Holly Aitchison, 23 Helena Rowland
Canada: 15 Julia Schell, 14 Alysha Corrigan, 13 Florence Symonds, 12 Alexandra Tessier (captain), 11 Asia Hogan-Rochester; 10 Taylor Perry, 9 Justine Pelletier; 8 Fabiola Forteza, 7 Karen Paquin, 6 Caroline Crossley; 5 Courtney O’Donnell, 4 Sophie de Goede; 3 DaLeaka Menin, 2 Emily Tuttosi, 1 McKinley Hunt
Replacements: 16 Gillian Boag, 17 Brittany Kassil, 18 Olivia DeMerchant, 19 Tyson Beukeboom, 20 Laetitia Royer, 21 Gabrielle Senft, 22 Olivia Apps, 23 Shoshanah Seumanutafa
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU) & Clara Munarini (FIR)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
France v New Zealand
(Twickenham Stadium, London – Kick-off: 12.30; 11.30 GMT; 13.30 French time, 23.10 NZT)
Prediction:
Rugby365: Black Ferns by four points
Teams:
France: 15 Emilie Boulard, 14 Joanna Grisez, 13 Nassira Konde, 12 Gaby Vernier, 11 Marine Menager (captain), 10 Carla Arbez, 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus, 8 Teani Feleu, 7 Lea Champon, 6 Charlotte Escudero, 5 Madoussou Fall Raclot, 4 Taina Maka, 3 Rose Bernadou, 2 Agathe Gerin, 1 Yllana Brosseau
Replacements: 16 Manon Bigot, 17 Annaëlle Deshaye, 18 Assia Khalfaoui, 19 Hina Ikahehegi, 20 Marie Morland, 21 Alexandra Chambon, 22 Lina Tuy, 23 Kelly Arbey.
New Zealand: 15 Renee Holmes, 14 Braxton Sorensen-McGee, 13 Stacey Waaka, 12 Sylvia Brunt, 11 Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, 10 Ruahei Demant (co-captain), 9 Risi Pouri-Lane, 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker, 7 Jorja Miller, 6 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 5 Laura Bayfield, 4 Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 3 Tanya Kalounivale, 2 Georgia Ponsonby, 1 Chryss Viliko.
Replacements: 16 Vici-Rose Green, 17 Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, 18 Amy Rule, 19 Alana Bremmer, 20 Layla Sae, 21 Maia Joseph, 22 Theresa Setefano, 23 Katelyn Vahaakolo.
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
Assistant Referees: Kat Roche (USAR) & Sara Cox (RFU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
