Women's Rugby World Cup Final - Canada vs England, History Revisited!
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The Maple Leafs are in pursuit of their first-ever World Cup title
Canada may lack the accolades England has in the Women's Rugby World Cup, but this is a nation that has established itself as a consistent contender in this tournament.
Ranked No. 2 in the world, Kevin Rouet's charges have featured in every edition of the tournament.
This is their first final appearance since 2014 and their second in the past four editions. Never have they lifted the crown in any of those appearances, and they are hoping this will be their breakthrough.
Canada: Road to the Final
Canada has been truly exceptional in the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup. Considered underdogs at first, that title has changed to a serious title contender.
In the group stages, they managed to finish at the top with an unblemished record and went on to cause havoc in the knockout stages.
After beating Australia 46-5 in the quarter-finals, they saw off the threat of reigning champions New Zealand in the semi-finals. It was one of their greatest tests in this tournament, which they passed with flying colors, cruising to a 34-19 victory.
This also ended their opponents' 18 consecutive wins in the World Cup.
Take a look at Canada's group stage run:
| Teams | Matches Played | Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Canada* | 3 | 147:26 | 15 |
| 2. Scotland* | 3 | 86:63 | 10 |
| 3. Fiji | 3 | 50:119 | 5 |
| 4. Wales | 3 | 33:108 | 2 |
*qualified
England has a rich history in the Rugby World Cup
England is the host nation of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for the second time since 2010. One cannot ignore the fact that they have been at the top of their game in this tournament despite New Zealand being the most successful club.
The Red Roses have featured in every edition of this tournament. Of those appearances, they have reached the finals six times, with the current campaign making it seven.
During this period, they were crowned champions just twice—1994 and most recently 2014, when they outplayed Canada in Dublin to end a four-year trophy drought.
The Red Roses are basking in dominant form
Labelling England as a dominant force barely scratches the surface. This is a nation that has surpassed the very meaning of dominance because of winning games regularly.
Defeat no longer exists in their vocabulary, as they are riding on an impressive 32 victories. No nation has reached this milestone, as it has been written down in the history books as the longest winning streak in international rugby.
Considering they are also the host nations makes it even worse. Home-field advantage has been key to their success. In fact, they've not suffered defeat at home since November 2016. When you add the numbers from that year, their current winning streak stands at 48—another jaw-breaking record.
England: Road to the Final
For a team of their caliber, it doesn't come as a shock that England has managed to win five consecutive matches in the current campaign.
In the group stages, the challenge was minimal. Drawn against the likes of Australia, the USA, and Samoa, no issues came their way en route to topping Group A.
Take a look at England's group stage run:
| Team | Matches Played | Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. England* | 3 | 208:17 | 15 |
| 2. Australia* | 3 | 111:78 | 8 |
| 3. USA | 3 | 98:100 | 8 |
| 4. Samoa | 3 | 3:225 | 0 |
*qualified
The contenders in the quarter-finals were Scotland. It was all smooth sailing as they secured a 40-8 victory. This was followed by a 35-17 unconvincing win against France in the semi-finals.
