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Sophie de Goede: 'We had a couple of moments where we all had a vent'
By Joe Harvey
Sophie de Goede is honest that Canada’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final defeat has kept her up at night.
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In the aftermath of the North Americans’ 33-13 loss to England’s Red Roses in front of a world record crowd, the 26-year-old has been taking things easy.
A week-long trip to Portugal with Paige Farries, Claire Gallagher and DaLeaka Menin acted as immediate relief to the defeat and offered a chance of reflection.
World Rugby’s second-ranked side arrived in England for the World Cup as contenders for the tournament.
Their performances backed that up. De Goede was immediately the star again after having missed over a year with an ACL injury. And saw her goal-kicking and all-court game become key for Canada and they reached the showpiece finale.
Eventually snuffed out by England in late-September by a voracious English attack fuelled by all the emotion surrounding West London, it was a tough conclusion to an otherwise fairytale campaign.
“I remember one morning I woke up and everyone was like, how was your sleep last night?” De Goede told RugbyPass.
“I was like, honestly, I couldn’t fall asleep because I keep thinking about dropping the spiral bomb that Ellie (Kildunne) put up.
“We had a couple of moments for sure, where we all had a vent or cry or whatever. But for the most-part we just tried to tune out of it and avoid the post-tour blues for as long as we could.”
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At full-time in Twickenham De Goede was also crowned World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year.
Several weeks on and the 26-year-old is honest that she did not know how to carry the disappointment of defeat and the joy of claiming a much-heralded individual prize. Ironically it is a feeling known by another Canada legend, Magali Harvey, who scooped the gong in 2014 after the Red Roses claimed their second World Cup.
More recently De Goede posted on social media about what being named best in class meant to her. A photograph of the journal she wrote in when recovering from her 2024 ACL injury, shows the text; even is ppl forget that you’re the best in the world, by the time you come back, there will be NO DOUBT.
Her performances at the World Cup were truly a marker of that.
Her unerring ability to break the gain line, to find her teammates on the charge, link up play in the backfield and kick points, it was a period of renaissance for a player on the sidelines for far too long.
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“I don’t think I was really processing the Player of the Year stuff in that moment,” De Goede said.
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“I think I was just trying to process the game, not that I could really process it in that moment. I was still caught up in the game.
“It has definitely been a goal of mine to be the best player in the world. And it’s cool. I think you show that on the field. Not in a title or a trophy.
“It is a huge honour. I don’t think I recognised it or appreciated it in the moment.”
Along with the recognition from the rugby world, De Goede and her teammates felt the full support of Canada behind them.
In the run-up to the World Cup final, rugby was plastered across Canadian news bulletins and viewing figures raised with each passing weekend on national broadcaster TSN.
Even in the wake of defeat a number of players have appeared on morning chat shows and news outlets to discuss their journey as a team that fundraised an additional $1m to further their aim of becoming world champions for the first time.
More than ever before there is a sense that the sport’s popularity, whipped up by their runners-up finish, can have a lasting impact.
“It felt like we were in a different universe where rugby was big in Canada,” De Goede smiled.
“The messages we were getting from different people, like women’s hockey players who are the sporting stars of our nation, and they were excited about us.
“It was really neat to see the whole country behind us. My hope for the future is that it’s not just a blip in time. That it’s not a separate universe.
“Rugby’s not big in Canada and Canada’s not big in the rugby world, and I keep saying that I want to marry those two together and have rugby be big in Canada and Canada be big in the rugby world.
“We didn’t go to that final step of winning the World Cup and doing that for our country, but it gives us something to keep pushing and keeps driving us.”
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Now a month on from that afternoon at Allianz Stadium, De Goede is getting back to grips with life at Saracens in preparation for her third Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign.
When the 26-year-old left the club in 2024 she was only supposed to be gone for two months. By the time she stepped back into the St. Albans home she shares with many of Saracens’ Canadian contingent, it had been 15 months.
In her bedroom there was clothing and possessions that had forgotten about. Some has been taken to local charity shops. Other items have been more simply reclaimed.
Her return to North London is a major cause for excitement. Seeing the best player of the world lining up at StoneX Stadium will be a major boon to Alex Austerberry’s side, who are looking to become domestic champions for the first time since 2022.
Saracens start their 2025/26 season with a trip to triple champions Gloucester Hartpury this Sunday afternoon.
In her two seasons with the club, split by a two year hiatus, De Goede has never won silverware in black and red.
Saracens boast six Red Roses and seven Canada internationals, along with a host of other players that competed at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, it is one of the strongest that the league has ever seen.
And the desire for success is high. Very high.
“One of the things that drew me to Sarries in the first place when I first joined was the history of the club and how proud people are to be associated with this club,” De Goede said.
“Unfortunately, since I’ve been here, I haven’t gotten a win yet with the club. Personally, that’s what I want to do this season – help contribute to the team so we can get a championship so I can add to the history rather than just being along for the ride.
“I know the girls did really well to get to the final last year, so hopefully I can contribute and help us get one step further.”
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