'It is our time now': Zoe Aldcroft backs England to rise to final challenge

England captain Zoe Aldcrooft insists it is “our time” as she prepares to lead the Red Roses into Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final against Canada.

Aldcroft knows what it feels like to suffer heartbreak in the showpiece match, having been a member of the squads that fell at the final hurdle at the previous two tournaments.

England head into this weekend’s showdown with Canada on a record 32-match winning run, having not tasted defeat since the last World Cup final in Auckland in 2022.

That loss at Eden Park remains the Red Roses’ sole defeat in their last 63 matches and their skipper says the team cannot wait to run out at a sold-out Twickenham.

“We are so excited to get out there,” she said. “We have been working on this for three years and it is our time now, we really feel that.”

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The Red Roses have swept all before them during their home World Cup, racking up five victories by an aggregate score of 283-42.

However, the world’s No.1 team have not clicked into top gear yet and were given some uncomfortable moments in the pool-stage victory against Australia and especially the 35-17 semi-final defeat of France.

But head coach John Mitchell says no one will remember the manner of England’s victory on Saturday as long as they get over the line.

“It’s all about basically trusting what we’ve built already,” he said.

“Players don’t always need to be perfect, but we’ve definitely been effective and that’s all that matters.”

England will be cheered on in their quest for a third World Cup trophy by the majority of the 82,000 fans inside Twickenham on Saturday.

For Aldcroft and her teammates the sight and sounds of a full Allianz Stadium is something they’ve dreamed about, and strived for, for a long time.

“We’re so excited to experience it,” Aldcroft said. “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 excited for this new era of women’s rugby on Saturday.”

On the noise, the stadium will generate come kick off, the captain added: “Honestly, it gives you goosebumps.

“It’s like the 16th person on the pitch and it really pulls you forward. If someone’s made a line break and you hear that roar from the crowd you realise, ‘oh my gosh, everyone else is actually here as well’.

“We absolutely love having the fans in.”