Highlights of 2025: Has this been women’s rugby’s best year yet?

It is not far-fetched to argue that this has been one of the best year’s in history for the women’s game, spearheaded by the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.

This year saw broadcast and digital figures, attendances, engaged fans and player stardom like never seen before on the pitch. 2025 has delivered from start to finish.

So where else to start than from the top and make our way down in a game changing year for the sport?

In England, earlier than ever before, the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) final took place in March. Double and reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury were vying for a league three-peat and faced indomitable Saracens at their home ground on a cold spring afternoon.

The Women in Black had an early 19-5 lead after an impressive first half but Gloucester-Hartpury scored 29 unanswered points when it mattered most in the showpiece event, coming from behind to claim a third title in a row.

The celebrations in the recovery pool in the Wolf Pack’s home changing rooms were circulated far and wide as the champions sent off their chief Sean Lynn with heavy hearts to Wales, and into a WRU head coach role which started only the next day.

This brings us nicely to the end of the month and into April where fans were treated to more world class rugby as the six tier 1 northern hemisphere sides staked their claim in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

There were high hopes for Ireland as the women in green came off the back of a thunderous WXV 1 campaign in Canada at the end of 2024, finishing second behind England and recording a shock win over the Black Ferns.

However, in round 1 of the championship, France had other plans and the opening game of the tournament saw the Irish go down 15-27 losers as Les Bleues continued to show why they were dark horses for the World Cup trophy.

The Irish however, did finish third in the table behind France and England, with high expectations heading into the World Cup.

But, as ever, this was a side story as the unbeatable Red Roses stormed to their seventh title in a row. However, John Mitchell’s side cut it extra fine at Twickenham against France, winning by a solitary point 43-42, to extend their winning run in the global game and pick up yet another trophy on the way to a home World Cup campaign.

On the other side of the globe, rugby in America was beginning to wake up for the year. The Pacific Four Series comprising of the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, kicked off at the beginning of May in Kansas City in front of a US national record of 10,518 adoring fans. Ilona Maher’s USA Eagles came out on the losing side against Canada, however, it was clear plenty of supporters had turned out for the inspirational players and what they represent.

In the third match of the series Canada and New Zealand saw out a thrilling 27-all draw, but the overall title went to the Black Ferns on points difference, helped in no small part by legend Portia Woodman who scored seven tries against the USA in their final game of the competition.

World Cup warm up games then followed as the summer months took hold and all eyes turned to England for the 10th Women’s Rugby World Cup.

South Africa began to show stirrings of what we came to see at the World Cup with a promising win over the Black Ferns XV at the beginning of August.
And suddenly it was time for the ground breaking, record smashing, feel good tournament it turned out to be.

Kicking off in Sunderland on Friday 22nd August, 42,723 were at the Stadium of Light to witness England take on the USA.

The tournament hosts recorded a dominant win, however, an edge of your seat moment against the run of play, came from a sensational line break and try from loose forward Erica Jurrell-Searcy- the highlight of the night for the Eagles and many neutrals.

And there was no come down for the remaining five weeks. Upsets happened, first in line being South Africa beating Italy to claim their first ever spot in the World Cup quarters culminating in the emotions and celebrations on the pitch afterwards.

The Springbok Women’s ‘never say die’ spirit will live long in the memory as they fought for so much more than a historic win; they achieved recognition, long-overdue attention and acclaim the world over.

As the semis came rolling around a classic was produced as New Zealand took on Canada. The Canadians had had a smooth run of it to this point, sailing through the pool stages and comfortably defeating Scotland in the quarters.

However, their performance to knock out the then-reigning champions was nothing short of outstanding. Their high tempo game plan, their simmering self-belief and confidence, and their ability to take their chances so seamlessly saw the Black Ferns lose only their third ever World Cup match in 34 years, with 2025 World Player of the Year Sophie de Goede’s team strolling through to the final at Twickenham.

England had faced France in their semi-final, with Ellie Kildunne producing perhaps the try of the tournament ten minutes before time in which she controlled and retrieved a lose ball only to unleash her famous footwork, side step and speed to dart over the try line untouched to the delight of the home crowd.

Then the highlights really start to reel in as the tournament reached its final day. 81,885 people showed up at Allinaz Stadium, the highest ever recorded attendance at a women’s rugby match, with the finale becoming the most-watched women’s rugby union match ever on UK television, with a peak of 5.8 million viewers.

Whether it was De Goede, Hogan-Rochester or Kildunne, the star power was out in force as England claimed a famous victory on home soil.

However, it would be amiss not to mention two other players who set the world alight during this tournament- New Zealand sevens convert Jorja Miller and World Breakthrough Player of the Year Braxton Sorensen McGhee, both with their jilting hips, otherworldly speed and try scoring habits- the pair are sure to become household names in the not so distant future.

Despite falling at the final hurdle, De Goede won World 15s Player of the Year, despite only returning from injury months before- pretty astounding stuff.

With the champions crowned and personal accolades handed out, the women’s game took a long deserved break (of a few weeks!) before England’s PWR kicked off again. And with some world class signings.

For the first time, a number of World Cup winning Black Ferns flew back to England to call the league home, all arriving to play their rugby overseas in the build-up to the 2026 Pacific Four Series.

The middle of October saw France’s ten AXA Elite 1 teams begin their domestic season with Toulouse and Romagnat currently leading the way after seven matches at the time of writing.

Encouraging movements have also been made in South Africa off the back of the Springbok Women’s astonishing run to the quarter-finals as plans for a fully professional Women’s Super League in the country was announced to kick off in mid-2026, and with it the intention to centrally contract up to 150 players.

Despite the year racing past in what feels like a blur and all there is to look forward to as we approach the new year, it is important to take stock and time to reflect on all the achievements the women’s game has made in 12 months. The accomplishments of 2025 will live long in the memories of players, fans and all involved in the showpiece tournament and the women’s game.

The history books have been rewritten, stars have been born and the game is in very rude health as we head into 2026.