Sports
England seek end to Women’s Rugby World Cup pain as Canada try to ‘burst their aura’ | The Express Tribune
LONDON:
England, the team that have everything except the thing they most want, face Canada in Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final, with coach John Mitchell hoping lessons he learned in the men’s game can end their long wait for global glory.
England are the best-backed team in women’s rugby, their governing Rugby Football Union reporting annual revenues for the financial year of 2023/24 of £175.2 million ($233.6 million).
Canada, meanwhile, launched a crowd-funding campaign to bolster their bid for an inaugural world title, with £1.4 million of backing from their national union boosted by nearly £540,000 of external investment.
But coach Kevin Rouet insisted Rugby Canada “did their best”, with the additional finance needed “to win the World Cup, not just to go to the World Cup”.
The Red Roses, on a record 32-game winning streak, also compete in England’s unrivalled Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR).
They now go into Saturday’s finale at Twickenham, the headquarters of English rugby union, set to be roared on by an expected capacity crowd of over 82,000 — which will smash the record for a women’s 15-a-side match.
And yet for all their advantages, including a large playing base, England have won the Women’s Rugby World Cup just twice, the last time in 2014 when they beat Canada 21-9 in a Paris final — the Maple Leafs’ only previous appearance in the showpiece game.
Defeats in five of the past six finals by Mitchell’s native New Zealand have led to questions about England’s ability to cope under pressure when it really matters.
Those doubts resurfaced during a semi-final where England only led France 7-5 at half-time before winning 35-17.
Indeed Mitchell, a former coach of New Zealand men’s All Blacks, was drafted into the England women’s set-up following their agonising 34-31 loss to the Black Ferns in the Covid-delayed 2022 final in Auckland.
‘Emotional tank’
But it his time as an assistant coach with the England team beaten by South Africa in the 2022 men’s Rugby World Cup final in Japan, after defeating the All Blacks in the semi-final, that Mitchell is relying on now.
“I still look back on 2019 and the semi-final was a huge performance and I think we sometimes as coaches don’t recognise the emotional tank plus the physical tank that is emptied in such occasions,” said Mitchell after naming an unchanged team on Thursday.
“We possibly in 2019 didn’t deal with the emotional tank, refill it well enough.
“The way we have prepared this week is we have made sure we (were off for) a couple of days after the semi-final performance to be able to come in and get focused on the plan we need to execute on the weekend.”
England captain Zoe Aldcroft, involved in the last World Cup final, said it was important not to make Saturday’s match “bigger than it already is”.
“We have been working on this now for three years and it is our time now, we really feel like that,” the flanker added.
‘England easy to play, hard to beat’
But if England, for all their forward strength, the attacking skills of full-back Ellie Kildunne, the world player of the year and a two-try heroine against France, make the same handling errors against Canada as they did in the semi-final, the Maple Leafs could yet spoil the party.
Canada, who have several players at PWR clubs, including skipper Alex Tessier, are also unchanged following a superb 34-19 semi-final win over New Zealand that showcased their fast-paced handling game and fierce defence.
But they know England represent a different challenge.
“The Roses, because they are a highly structured team, it’s easy to play against them, hard to beat them,” said Canada’s most-capped player, Tyson Beukeboom.
“We know how to play against them, we just have to do it…They are an incredibly difficult team to play against, they have an aura about them that has been almost untouched in the last 10 years.
“Our goal is to burst it.”
We are following the 2025 NFL season’s playoff picture. Here’s how things look right now for wild-card spots, division races and even the draft order.
Source link
Former Manchester United midfielder James Garner is being targeted for a return to Old Trafford, while Chelsea are one of several top European clubs monitoring Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s summer grades | Women’s grades
TOP STORIES
– Amorim: United ‘cannot make same mistakes’ with transfers
– Real Madrid’s Endrick completes loan move to Lyon
– Sources: City making progress on Semenyo move
TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester United are keen on bringing Everton midfielder James Garner back to the club next month, the Daily Mail reports. United’s proposed plans to sign a midfielder are expected to accelerate if either Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo leave the club in January. While Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson remains United coach Ruben Amorim’s top midfield target, Garner may prove to be a more realistic transfer in the short term. The 24-year-old started his professional career at Old Trafford, where he made just two Premier League appearances. However, he has established himself as a first-team regular at Everton since joining them for £9 million in 2022. With just six months remaining on his contract, Garner could be available for a low transfer fee in the upcoming window.
– Chelsea are monitoring highly-rated Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, according to The Athletic. The 20-year-old is one of the most sought-after young defenders in European football, having been linked with a host of major clubs in recent months. The Blues are keeping an eye on another Ligue 1 standout in Saint-Etienne forward Djylian N’Guessan, who has been prolific for France at youth level.
– Juventus have shortlisted Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali in their search for a new playmaker, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italy international remains a top target for Juve, who are expected to be active next month. Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023, and has another two-and-a-half years left on his contract at the club. Juventus, meanwhile, are also expected to be in the market for a new goalkeeper and a winger in January.
– Wolverhampton Wanderers are considering a winter swoop for MLS goal-machine Sam Surridge, according to talkSPORT. The Nashville striker scored 31 goals in 40 matches last season, catching the eye of Wolves scouts in the process. The West Midlands club are in desperate need of goals, as first-choice forward Jørgen Strand Larsen has scored just once in his last 15 Premier League matches. Surridge’s Nashville deal is set to expire at the end of next year.
– Several Premier League and Championship clubs have enquired to Liverpool over the possibility of signing Trey Nyoni on loan, TEAMtalk reports. While the Reds are undecided whether they want to let him leave the club next month, interest from elsewhere in the promising 18-year-old continues to increase. Ideally, Liverpool would like to find the “perfect move” for Nyoni, but concerns over squad depth could see him stay at Anfield until the end of the season.
EXPERT TAKE
1:49
Why Man United players should step up to fill Fernandes’ absence
Don Hutchison explains why he thinks Bruno Fernandes being out with an injury is an opportunity for players to step up for Manchester United.
OTHER RUMORS
– Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United “admire” Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. (Ekrem Konur)
– Fulham have joined the race to sign Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb in January. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Norway international was also attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund and Crystal Palace. (talkSPORT)
– David Alaba is expected to leave Real Madrid in the summer of 2026. While there have been no formal discussions over his exit, all indications point to the two parties going their separate ways next year. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Tottenham Hotspur want to extend defender Micky van de Ven‘s contract and will offer him improved terms to try and secure a deal. (The Athletic)
– Flamengo are “pushing” to sign Lazio striker Taty Castellanos. A €25m offer has been submitted by the Brazilian club. (Nicolo Schira)
– Roma full-back Zeki Çelik has been offered to Juventus as a free agent for next season by an intermediary. (Nicolo Schira)
– CF Monterrey have agreed a deal to sign FC Cincinnati winger Luca Orellano. (Tom Bogert)
– Porto are targeting a move for West Ham United forward Luís Guilherme in January. (Ekrem Konur)
Happy Boxing Day!
The traditional British holiday featured a huge matchup, with Manchester United hosting Newcastle United as the only Premier League game of the day. In the end, a phenomenal strike from Patrick Dorgu was the difference, as Ruben Amorim’s squad hung on for a 1-0 victory and a valuable three points.
Take a look back at all the day’s action.
Tracking the NFL playoff picture: Updated chances to clinch open spots, win division titles
Google searches reveal what captured America’s attention in 2025
In Cryptoland, Memecoin Fever Gives Way to a Stablecoin Boom
Alabama turned Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff dream into a nightmare
Rare look inside the secret LEGO Museum reveals the system behind a toy giant’s remarkable longevity
Gold prices in Pakistan Today – December 20, 2025 | The Express Tribune
-
Sports7 days ago
Alabama turned Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff dream into a nightmare
-
Entertainment7 days agoRare look inside the secret LEGO Museum reveals the system behind a toy giant’s remarkable longevity
-
Business1 week ago
Gold prices in Pakistan Today – December 20, 2025 | The Express Tribune
-
Business1 week agoRome: Tourists to face €2 fee to get near Trevi Fountain
-
Entertainment7 days agoIndia drops Shubman Gill from T20 World Cup squad
-
Politics1 week agoUK teachers to tackle misogyny in classroom
-
Entertainment1 week agoZoe Kravitz teases fans with ring in wedding finger
-
Tech7 days agoWe Tried and Tested the Best Gifts for Plant Lovers With Our Own Green Thumbs