The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, hosted in England, has turned into a true celebration of the sport – a spectacle of strength, emotion, and stories that breathe life into a tournament now at the height of its maturity. In front of tens of thousands of spectators and millions watching on television, established teams and debutants clashed in duels that brought both dazzling victories and bitter defeats, yet all filled with meaning and beauty. It was an edition where tears mingled with applause, where the pain of injuries coexisted with the triumph of records, and where collective power intertwined with moments of individual brilliance.
Nothing illustrated this blend of drama and heroism better than New Zealand’s victory over Spain, with a score of 54–8, in a match played in York. The world champions managed to win convincingly despite playing the final 17 minutes with only 13 players on the field, following the injuries of Kaipo Olsen-Baker and Ayesha Leti-I’iga. Olsen-Baker, who had just come on as a substitute, left the pitch in tears on a stretcher after only a quarter of an hour, likely aware that her tournament had ended before it truly began. Despite such harsh blows, the Black Ferns once again displayed their resilience and survival instinct. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe continued to write history, scoring and extending her record to 21 tries in Women’s Rugby World Cup history, surpassing the legendary Sue Day. Alongside her, Leti-I’iga and Jorja Miller each scored two tries, while Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Georgia Ponsonby and Theresa Setefano completed the list of scorers. On the other side, Spain showed courage and dignity, with Ines Antolinez Fernandez’s late try celebrated with the genuine joy of a team that knows even small victories can carry enormous weight on the world stage.
Elsewhere in England, South Africa delivered a show of force against tournament debutants Brazil, winning 66–6 in Northampton. No. 8 Aseza Hele was the heroine of the match, achieving a hat-trick that electrified the stands. The Springbok women imposed a blistering pace, running in tries through Nadine Roos, Ayanda Malinga, Aphiwe Ngwevu and Lerato Makua, while Brazil had to settle for two penalty kicks converted by Raquel Kochhann. The difference in levels was obvious, but for Brazil, merely participating and putting points on the board were milestones of a history just beginning – a step towards a future where South American women’s rugby will strive to become a force.
France also began their campaign with a clear 24–0 win over Italy in Exeter. While the first half was balanced and tough, ending 10–0, the second half brought liberation and a demonstration of maturity from the French team. Tries by Assia Khalfaoui and Charlotte Escudero set the final score and showed that Les Bleues know how to manage a World Cup match with patience and clarity. Italy, though defeated, displayed spirit and courage, but lacked composure at key moments. Nevertheless, this defeat becomes a lesson – a necessary experience for a team aiming to build a stronger presence in international women’s rugby.
Canada delivered one of the tournament’s great stories, demolishing Fiji 65–7 in a match where Julia Schell became the undisputed star. The Canadian fullback scored six tries in just 22 minutes of the second half – an absolute record for her team and a rare feat on the world stage. Canada dominated completely, while Fiji, despite responding with a spectacular try, collapsed under the North Americans’ power. The dismissal of Bulou Vasutaraga for a dangerous tackle deepened the gulf, and the end of the game was a demonstration of the difference between accumulated experience and the fragility of debut.
Scotland opened their tournament with a superb 38–8 victory against Wales in Salford. Francesca McGhie became the crowd’s heroine with a memorable hat-trick, beginning in the very first minute of play. The aggression, pace and courage of the Scots stood in stark contrast to the passivity and lack of inspiration of the Welsh, unable to keep up with the imposed rhythm. Evie Gallagher and Emma Orr added their names to the scoresheet, and Scotland proved that their ambition is not merely to participate, but to truly compete for the knockout stages.
Australia impressed with offensive exuberance, crushing Samoa 73–0 in an 11-try festival. Desiree Miller scored a spectacular hat-trick in the first half, though her story was overshadowed by injury after a heavy collision with Melina Salale, who was shown a 20-minute red card. In her absence, young Caitlyn Halse, just 18 years old, stepped up as the star of the evening, scoring two tries and winning over the crowd with her dazzling play. For Samoa, the match was a harsh but necessary lesson against a side that combined youth with raw power and collective discipline.
Finally, hosts England began their campaign with a resounding 69–7 victory over the USA in Sunderland, in front of a record crowd of nearly 43,000 spectators. The Red Roses ran in 11 tries, scored by players such as Sadia Kabeya, Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Jess Breach, Amy Cokayne and Lark Atkin-Davies. The USA resisted only until Erica Jarrell’s try reduced the score to 14–7 in the first half, but Alev Kelter’s yellow card completely shifted the game. From there, England dominated with an authority hard to contest, showing they are ready to honour their status as favourites and to dream of lifting the trophy.
This edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup is not only about scores and statistics, but about life stories, about bodies pushed to the limit, and about the pure emotion of sport. We witnessed tears, smiles, immense joys and devastating pains. We saw great teams confirm their status and debutants find the resources to carve a path. And perhaps the most beautiful thing remains the community: fans who applaud not only the winners, but also those who lose with dignity – who pick the ball up from the turf and know that, regardless of the result, they are part of a story greater than themselves. The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is, above all, a celebration of that spirit.
The photograph for this article is taken from www.wikipedia.org.
By Honor Et Patria/ Eduard Popiea