England Eye World Record as Canada, New Zealand Threaten Women’s Rugby World Cup Domination

Posted : 08 September 2025

England entered the Women’s Rugby World Cup as outright favourites, and their position has barely been questioned since the tournament began. However, Canada and New Zealand have underlined their credentials with flawless group campaigns, setting up the prospect of an intense knockout phase.

All three teams finished their pools with 100 per cent records, and they head into this weekend’s quarterfinals heavily favoured to extend their winning runs. England face Scotland in Bristol on Sunday, where victory would set a new world record of 31 consecutive wins. Canada, ranked second, are tipped to overpower Australia in Saturday’s clash at Ashton Gate, while reigning champions New Zealand are expected to ease past South Africa in Exeter.

England’s group-stage dominance has been clear, scoring 161 points in emphatic wins over the United States and Samoa. Yet their 47-7 triumph over Australia last weekend revealed vulnerabilities. Coach John Mitchell described the performance as “clunky,” with the hosts relying on forward power to steady themselves after conceding an early try.

While Mitchell praised his team’s defensive resilience, he acknowledged that the backline failed to ignite. The absence of World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, who is sidelined with concussion symptoms, adds to England’s concerns heading into the quarterfinals.

In addition to injury worries, England’s preparation has been clouded by discipline issues, with 31 turnovers conceded against Australia. Fixing those errors will be key to maintaining momentum as the tournament pressure intensifies.

Canada have showcased their own brand of forward dominance, with a 40-19 victory over Scotland underscoring their physical approach. Five of their six tries came from front-row forwards, complemented by a penalty try from a collapsed scrum. Positioned in the more favourable half of the draw, the Canadians could secure their second-ever final appearance, having previously reached the decider in 2014. A semifinal against either France or Ireland now looks likely.

New Zealand, meanwhile, delivered their most polished performance of the competition in a 40-0 demolition of Ireland. Eighteen-year-old winger Braxton Sorensen-McGee grabbed a hat-trick, confirming her status as one of the brightest rising stars in the women’s game.

With slick handling in the backline and dominant work from the forwards, the Black Ferns looked every bit the defending champions. Centre Stacey Waaka highlighted the motivation behind their ruthless display, noting that recent losses to Ireland had added an edge to their performance.

With England, Canada, and New Zealand all unbeaten, the knockout rounds promise high-intensity clashes between the world’s top sides. While England remain the frontrunners, their rivals are gaining momentum at the perfect time, ensuring that the path to World Cup glory is anything but straightforward.

England Eye World Record as Canada, New Zealand Threaten Women’s Rugby World Cup Domination

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