Canada puts its fast-paced, physical brand of rugby up against a well-oiled winning machine in England’s Red Roses on Saturday in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final.
It should make for a grand spectacle at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium before a sellout crowd of 82,000, a record for a women’s rugby test match.
“We’re excited to play England,” said 38-year-old Canada coach Kevin Rouet, a leading candidate for World Rugby’s coach of the year award. “I think it was expected that if we wanted to win the World Cup, England would be on the way.”
“They’ve been outstanding, played really great rugby. We respect them hugely,” said England coach John Mitchell, a 61-year-old New Zealander who led the All Blacks to third place at the 2003 World Cup (thumping the Canadian men 68-6 on the way).
“They deserve to be in the final,” he added.
England, ranked No. 1 in the world, goes into the final on a 32-match winning streak, having won 62 of their last 63 tests. The lone blemish on that record was a 34-31 defeat at the hands of host New Zealand in the final of the last World Cup in November 2022 (the tournament was originally slated to be played in 2021 but was delayed due to the pandemic).
Sophie de Goede on ‘magnitude’ of playing in front of record-breaking crowd
No. 2 Canada, which dispatched the six-time champion New Zealand Black Ferns 34-19 in the semifinal, is unbeaten in 12 matches (11-0-1) since a 21-12 loss to England at the WXV 1 tournament last October in Vancouver. The Canadians led 12-7 in the second half that day, only to concede two late tries.
Ladbroke’s had England as the 4/11 favourite to win Saturday, meaning a $100 bet would return $136.36. The bookmaker listed Canada as 9/4, with a $100 bet returning $325.
Both teams have named unchanged lineups, boasting physical forwards and strike runners in the backs — with plenty of firepower among the substitutes. It’s the third game in a row that Rouet has gone with the same lineup.
Canada’s matchday 23 goes into the match with a combined 894 caps, including 346 off the bench. England’s roster totals 862 caps, including 349 among the replacements.
Kevin Rouet says team feels confident heading into Women’s Rugby World Cup final
Canada has lost the last 13 meetings with England since a 52-17 win in July 2016 and is 3-33-1 all-time against the Red Roses. And the Canadians are 0-13-0 playing the Red Roses on English soil and 0-7-1 in World Cup meetings.
But that was then and this is now. Canada has pushed England in recent times and turned heads with its performances at this tournament.
The Canadians play an expansive rapid-fire game, with hard-nosed forwards attacking the opposition to open holes for their dangerous backline. Their connection can be uncanny at times with spectacular offloads leading to line breaks.
“It’s the most fun rugby I’ve ever had to play because there’s so much freedom,” said Canadian lock Sophie de Goede, a finalist for World Rugby’s Women’s Player of the Year. “We make mistakes in the way that we play because it’s not preplanned. We’re constantly reacting to each other and so mistakes happen, but there’s also a really good ability in this team to let mistakes slide off of us and think of the next play or the next phase.
“And often we can create magic off the back of a mistake. It’s a really freeing style of play.”
The Canadians pushed England at the last World Cup, eventually falling 26-19 in the semifinal at Eden Park.
Rouet had only been in charge for eight months then, elevated from assistant coach in March 2022. This time around, he has had close to three years to work with the team, and it shows.
Asked about the difference between this year’s squad and the one that finished fourth last time out, de Goede replied: “Experience, depth and time together.”
Canada is well acquainted with the Red Roses, given 11 members of the Canadian matchday squad play their club rugby in England.
WATCH | Canada books place in Women’s Rugby World Cup final against England:
Canada heading to Women’s Rugby World Cup final | Hanomansing Tonight
Canada lost to England in its only other trip to the World Cup final, beaten 21-9 in 2014.
Beukeboom, who could earn her Canadian-record 84th cap, and Paquin, earning her 51st cap, are taking part in their fourth World Cup. So is prop Olivia DeMerchant, in line to collect her 66th cap off the bench.
The Canadians have finished fourth on four occasions (1998, 2002, 2006 and 2021).
England is in its seventh straight final and ninth overall, having finished runner-up six times (beaten by the United States in 1991 and by New Zealand in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017 and 2021). The Red Roses also won in 1994, defeating the U.S.
Saturday’s championship game is expected to shatter the previous record attendance for a women’s rugby test — 58,498 for England’s Six Nations match against France in April 2023 at Twickenham.
A win and the Canadians will replace England atop the world rankings. Only England and New Zealand have enjoyed that perch since the rankings were introduced in February 2016.
A loss and the Canadians will remain No. 2.
No. 3 New Zealand faces No. 4 France in the third-place game earlier Saturday. The French lost 35-17 to England in the other semifinal.
McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Sophie de Goede, Victoria, Saracens (England); Courtney O’Donnell, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Justine Pelletier, Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England); Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Westshore RFC; Alex Tessier (capt.), Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England).
Replacements
Gillian Boag, Calgary, Capilano RFC; Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Olivia DeMerchant, Mapledale, N.B., Halifax Tars RFC; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., Saracens (England); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand).
Hannah Botterman, Bristol Bears; Amy Cokayne, Sale Sharks; Maude Muir, Gloucester-Hartpury; Morwenna Talling, Sale Sharks; Abbie Ward, Sale Sharks; Zoe Aldcroft (capt), Gloucester-Hartpury; Sadia Kabeya, Loughborough Lightning; Alex Matthews, Gloucester-Hartpury; Natasha Hunt, Gloucester-Hartpury; Zoe Harrison, Saracens; Jess Breach; Saracens; Tatyana Heard, Gloucester-Hartpury; Megan Jones, Trailfinders; Abby Dow, unattached; Ellie Kildunne, Harlequins.
Replacements
Lark Atkin-Davies, Bristol Bears; Kelsey Clifford, Harlequins; Sarah Bern, Bristol Bears; Rosie Galligan, Saracens; Maddie Feaunati, Exeter Chiefs; Lucy Packer, Harlequins; Holly Aitchison, Sale Sharks; Helena Rowland, Loughborough Lightning.
