This Saturday, England won its third title in Women's Rugby World Cup, dominating Canada 33-13 on Saturday at Twickenham. This final brought together 81 885 spectators, a historic record for women's rugby, and confirmed the Lionesses' world domination.
An impressive streak: 33 consecutive victories
With this victory, England closes an exceptional cycle: 33 consecutive wins, the longest streak in international rugby history. After losing the last two finals and five of the last six, England showed their power and speed, giving the host nation a spectacular final. “The past determines the present, and the girls held their own throughout the tournament by connecting with the nation.”, said England coach John Mitchell.
Canada, the undefeated outsider, failed to find the opening
Canada, finalists for the first time in 11 years, eliminated the defending champion, New Zealand, in the semi-finals, confirming its rank of global 2 number and its invincibility of the year. But the Canadians, known for their spectacular offloads, failed to break through the English defence around the rucks “We gave it our all today and I can't thank the girls enough for putting their bodies on the line.”, said England captain Zoe Aldcroft.
An intense start to the match
Canada opened the scoring through winger Alex Hogan-Rochester, but the lead was fleeting. England number 15 Ellie Kildunne broke a tackle and scored a spectacular try behind the posts.
Shortly after, Amy Cokayne scored a try on line drive, replicating her performance from the 2022 final. Tatyana Heard intercepted a ball in midfield to allow Alex Matthews to score his try, his fourth consecutive final.
England confirms its superiority
Canada tried to respond but were intercepted by Zoe Aldcroft and committed several fouls, including a questionable penalty kick choice when they were trailing 21-5. Hannah Botterman added two penalties in the first half, solidifying England's lead.
In the second half, Abbie Ward scored after Matthews broke through from a five-metre scrum. Hogan-Rochester scored her second try for Canada, but the Lionesses' pressure proved too much. Matthews completed England's victory by scoring her second. second trial after a spiral ball recovery.
A historic and symbolic final
This victory marks a turning point for England: after six years without a major defeat, the Lionesses are clearly dominating world women's rugby. The 2023 final will be remembered not only for the score, but also for the physical intensity, the quality of the game, and the historic attendance record.
What should we quickly remember?
This Saturday, England won their third Women's Rugby World Cup title, defeating Canada 33-13 on Saturday at Twickenham. This final was
