Player comparisons: Dominant England win Women's Rugby World Cup 2025

England’s Red Roses etched their names into the historic books with a comprehensive 33 – 13 victory over Canada in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

Coming out of the blocks swinging, Canada silenced the large English portion of the capacity crowd at Allianz Stadium when Asia Rochester-Hogan scored in the corner.

Immediately shaking off the early setback, the Red Roses struck back immediately. Taking the ball on the Canadian 40m line, Ellie Kildunne exploded through the front line Canadian defence. Once free, the fullback would not be denied, rounding three more defenders en route to a spot under the Canadian posts.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Now two points clear courtesy of Zoe Harrison’s conversion, England began to assert their dominance. At set-piece time, the Red Roses blitzed Canada. Scoring their second try through a maul that started on the 10m line with Amy Cokayne barging over. Five minutes later, and England would be crossing for their third try; this time, it was the scrum that did the damage. Driving the Canadians backwards five meters, the Red Roses pack set up Natasha Hunt for a snipe, who in turn found Alex Matthews with the offload.

Canada would shift the momentum once again in the final ten minutes of the half with Sophie de Goede slotting a penalty to take their tally to 8 points. Despite their best efforts to add to this total, the Canadians couldn’t break down the English defence. Stopping the visitors dead in their tracks, Hannah Botterman ended the half with her second turnover of the half in the 41^st minute.

When the action returned, it would be England who started brighter through secondrow Abbie Ward in the 49^th minute.

To their credit, Canada would respond three minutes later when Hogan-Rochester raced over for her second. This set in motion a series of promising phases for the Canadian,s which they couldn’t capitalise on.

Leaving no doubt, the Red Roses would have the final say when Alex Matthews claimed her second try of the final and with it sealed an English victory.

Here is how the two sides fared at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

Front Row – Advantage England
Leaving no doubt as to why they are regarded as the best front row in test rugby, the Red Roses went to work early.

Bulldozing through Canada at scrum time, Hannah Botterman, Amy Cokayne and Maud Muir lay the platform for England’s clinical attacking display.

Never was this dominance more evident than in the 25th minute when the England scrum marched Canada back five meters over their own line en route to Alex Matthews’ try.

Around the park, the trio were equally impressive with Botterman once again proving nearly unstoppable at the breakdown. Pilfering two balls in the first half alone, the loosehead time and again disrupted Canada’s attacking flow.

Second Row – Advantage Canada
In simple terms, the Canadian locks could not have done more to will their team to victory.

Packing down behind a front row that was getting beaten by their opposite numbers, the pairing of Sophie de Goede and Courtney O’Donnell still got through a mountain of work.

Marshalling a well-run line-out, carrying hard in the face of a ferocious England defence and getting through plenty of defensive work, the pair were world-class.

From the kicking tee, de Goede will be kicking herself for missing two conversions, but in truth, it wouldn’t have been enough to derail the freewheeling Red Roses train.

Whilst it will be scant consolation, de Goede’s unveiling as the 2025 World Player Of The Year award was just reward for the elite lock.

Back Row – Advantage England
Stopping any momentum that Canada could generate at source, the England backrow each had significant individual contributions.

Starting with the player of the match, Sadia Kabeya, who went on a seek and destroy mission with 22 tackles, eight carries and two defenders beaten. So often overlooked, the work she got through allowed those around her to flourish.

Mirroring Kabeya’s work rate, captain Zoe Aldcroft got through 21 tackles, won two lineouts and pulled off an audacious turnover when her side were under the pump. Spotting an opportunity when the Canadians allowed the ball to be exposed just enough at the breakdown, Aldcroft pounced. This moment stopped what had the potential to be the score that brought Canada back into the contest.

Completing the starting trio, number eight Alex Matthews was the spark that her side needed to hammer home their advantage. Matthews would end the contest as England’s busiest carrier with 11 but crucially it was her two tries that build on the dominance of her front row.

Halfbacks – Advantage England
Cool, calm and composed, England’s halfback pairing of Natasha Hunt and Zoe Harrison pulled the right levers at the right moment.

Getting incredible length on her clearance kicks, Harrison denied Canada any opportunity to get sustained time in English territory. From the tee, she was equally impressive, and as it was a week ago in Bristol, her ability to turn five points into seven points ensured that Canada remained at arm’s length.

In attack, the long passing game of both players got the ball into the wide channels quickly where Kildunne and co could do their damage.

Focusing on Hunt for a moment, her sniping break at the back of a dominant England scrum and subsequent offload to Alex Matthews was textbook scrumhalf play. Occupying the attentions of two Canadian defenders allowed enough space for Matthews to blast her way over the line.

Centres – Draw
Two very different performances given the platforms either side had to work with.

Canada’s pairing of Alex Tessier and Florence Symonds were forced to work with static ball. To their credit, the pair not only survived but thrived in the chaos. Beating a combined eight defenders on 15 carries and in turn making over 70 meters afforded Canada several cracks at retreating English defence.

Although their side scored twice, they will feel that they left far more out there.

On the other side of the ledger, England’s Tatyana Heard and Megan Jones suffocated the Canadian attack when it mattered most.

Making a combined 28 tackles, many of which stopped Canada’s attack behind the gainline, was a huge effort.

In attack, both centres were willing options which took the pressure off Harrison at key moments.

Back Three – Advantage Canada
How fitting it was that the game’s best player produced her best performance on the big stage.

Ellie Kildunne left no doubt as to why she was the reigning World Player Of The Year coming into this year’s World Cup. When her side needed her the most following Canada’s early score, Kildunne stepped up. Receiving the ball on the Canadian 40-meter line, the fullback split through two tacklers and left three more in her wake before dotting down under the posts.

On the wings, Jess Breach and Abby Dow had few opportunities to leave their mark, with possession being limited in the wide channels.

Conversely, the Canadian back three were central to their team’s ability to stay in the fight despite their pack being taken apart in the set piece.

Asia Hogan-Rochester will gather the headlines, and with good reason. Two tries, both of which were expertly finished, supplied ten of her team’s 13 points. Away from the scoreboard, her four defenders beaten, two line breaks and 91 meters carried tell the story of a highly effective performance.

On the right wing, Alysha Corrigan would fall victim to Kildunne’s pace early in the second half when the England fullback went around her. This aside, Corrigan was another top performer for her side, being behind only Hogan-Rochester on the meters carried chart with 62 meters.

At fullback, Julia Schell handled the long kicking game of Zoe Harrison well and returned the ball with aplomb, both through the air and running it back. Trailing her wingers marginally in terms of meters made with 58, Schell was still the third most productive carrier for her side.