Alex Matthews scored two tries as tournament hosts and favourites England ended their long wait to win a third Women’s Rugby World Cup title with a 33-13 victory over Canada at Twickenham on Saturday.
Victory in front of a record and raucous crowd of 81,885 gave England their first world title since defeating Canada 21-9 in the 2014 final in Paris — a match in which No 8 Matthews played — and third in total following their 1994 triumph
This success also extended England’s record run to 33 consecutive wins, with the Red Roses having won 63 of their past 64 matches — the lone blemish a defeat by New Zealand in the Covid-delayed 2022 final.
It was a much-needed win for an England side whose temperament had been repeatedly called into question after five defeats by New Zealand in the previous six World Cup finals.
“This is unimaginable. I am so proud of the girls,” England scrum-half Natasha Hunt told the BBC. “I hope this stays for women’s rugby.”
Hunt also paid tribute to England coach John Mitchell after he was drafted in following the team’s 2022 heartache with the specific aim of winning the World Cup.
“He has just kept it simple,” she said. “He has been honest, sometimes brutally honest but I like that. He has got this week bang on. We played on the 16th member of the team — the crowd.”
Canada coach Kevin Rouet admitted England deserved to win.
“I think they were just better than us. Against England, if you don’t score when you have to score, you can’t win the game,” he said.
England enjoyed a 21-8 half-time lead after outscoring Canada, appearing in just their second final, three tries to one.
Canada’s Asia Hogan-Rochester opened the scoring in just the fifth minute before England hit back through Ellie Kildunne, Amy Cokayne and Matthews.
Fly-half Zoe Harrison converted all three of those tries in front of a crowd that comfortably surpassed the previous highest attendance for a 15-a-side women’s international of 58,498 at Twickenham for England’s 2023 Six Nations match against France.
England’s forward power proved increasingly telling and lock Abbie Ward’s try early in the second half put them in command at 26-8 before Matthews, after a period of sustained Canada pressure, scored her second try 11 minutes from time.
England and Canada, first and second in the world rankings respectively, were unchanged from their semi-final wins, with Canada hugely impressive in dethroning double defending champions New Zealand 34-19 and England less convincing in defeating France 35-17.
Canada, who launched a crowdfunding campaign to help bolster their dreams of World Cup glory, struck first against the Red Roses — the best-resourced team in the women’s game.
Hogan-Rochester’s well-judged grubber kick led to a lineout that the Maple Leafs disrupted before the left wing sprinted in down the touchline.
Goal-kicking lock Sophie de Goede, named world player of the year after the final, was unlucky to see her conversion bounce back off the post.
– Kildunne leads England charge –
Canada’s lead lasted just two minutes, however, as England hit back through Kildunne.
The full-back, fresh from two tries against France, left two defenders in her slipstream as a typical slalom run saw her score between the posts.
England’s forwards, with Sadia Kabeya outstanding, then scored in familiar fashion when a driving maul ended with hooker Cokayne being shoved over for a 19th-minute try.
Even though Canada, with several players at clubs in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby competition, knew what was coming their way, they were unable to deal with their opponents’ forward power in the 26th minute.
Hunt peeled away from the base of an advancing England scrum and nearly scored herself before releasing Matthews, who dived over for a try.
De Goede landed a simple 34th-minute penalty to cut England’s lead to 13 points.
England scored a fourth try in the 50th minute, when Ward powered over Canada’s line.
England, however, were then reduced to 14 players when hooker Hannah Botterman was yellow-carded for dump-tackling Karen Paquin.
Hogan-Rochester then exploited an overlap out wide to score her second try in the 53rd minute.
But Matthews put the result beyond doubt, driving low and hard, for a try converted by Harrison as England posted a 14th consecutive win over Canada.
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